The Cincinnati Reds have announced their first cuts of spring training today. This morning they sent one of their top prospects – Cam Collier – along with catcher Connor Burns, infielders Michael Chavis and Michael Toglia, as well as pitchers Carson Spiers and Joel Valdez to minor league camp.
All six of those players were non-roster invitees to big league camp this year. The two pitchers are both injured and haven’t not pitched in games yet. This set of moves leaves 51 players in big league spring training as they head into this afternoon’s game with the Chicago Cubs.
Cam Collier, the Reds #9 prospect, was in big league spring training for the second straight year and unlike last year he was able to get through his portion of big league camp without injury. He played in five games this year with Cincinnati and went 1-7 with an RBI.
Catcher Connor Burns only played in three games and he only had two at-bats. He went 0-2 with those two trips to the plate. Michael Toglia played in eight games. He had two hits, two walks, and he drove in a run. Michael Chavis played in seven games and had 11 plate appearances. He went 3-11 with a home run during that time.
Among this group there wasn’t likely anyone who had much of a shot at breaking camp with the club this spring. Even the veteran types in Chavis and Toglia were long shots as they were quite far down the depth chart and behind a lot of guys with established performance in the big leagues, big league contracts, or spots on the 40-man roster.
Minor League camp began yesterday, so now that it’s opened up there are places for these guys to go and get more time on the field. That’s going to allow them to get ready for the minor league season, which will begin at the end of March for Triple-A and in the first week of April for the other full season teams.
I had really high hopes for Collier. Now i think his ceiling is a lot lower than i had first thought
Collier is just 21 and hasn’t played above AA. Sending him to down to the minor league camp hardly reflects on his ceiling. Give him time. I suspect he hits Louisville this year.
When i first saw him play i thought he would be Like Griffey Jr. Meteoric rise to the bigs. I still think he can be good but not that good
With all due respect, Rednat, sounds like your expectations were way higher than anyone believed his ceiling would be — or just about anyone else’s ceiling over the past 50 years. Griffey Jr was never a realistic comp. If Collier turns out to be a good mlb player, that’ll be a huge success.
This just means the reps are being shortened at MLB camp for those who will make the team or are battling for a roster spot. it doesnt mean we couldn’t see Collier in an MLB ST training game as a depth piece at some point again. He’s just focused on getting his reps in the minor league camp. Correct?
Yeah, just remember, that Cam Collier just turned 21, November of 2025. And his hand was injured last Spring, and probably not fully recovered or healed (full strength) until now.
It will be interesting to see where he starts the year….AA or AAA. Probably AA, and see how well he does prior to getting promoted to AAA.
And not sure if he plays 1st base or plays 3rd base. As a teenager drafted, he was a third baseman.
Double-A starts a week later, so a lot of that might be administrative. Collier will play AAA ball this year, not much doubt about that. Early in the season, it makes no difference.
You’re probably right. I used to get excited about prospects and have high hopes, but it just seems like the big time guys the reds have, just don’t quite hit. EDLC is the latest example, thought he was the next Mickey Mantle, but I’m not sure he will hit the over the moon expectations I had for him. He’s still young and very well could become the Super Star that the reds have lacked for so long. Greene was supposed to be LeBron, but he can’t seem to put a full season together. Burns is the next guy that has that chance but it looks as though he will probably get hurt. It’s just in Reds DNA for some reason. Being a Reds fan is hard and beats you down to become a pessimistic crusty old man. Someone give me something positive about this organization on this gloomy March day.
I think the issue may be unrealistic expectations. Both Greene and Elly have made the all star team. Elly twice in his first three seasons. Andrew Abbott has been amazing and Chase Burns has an opportunity to be an ace.
1000%agree
Greene and Elly are big successes. Mickey mantles come along a couple times a generation across the whole sport.
Given health this year, EDLC competes for the MVP.
Given health this year, Greene and Lodolo compete for the Cy Young.
Skenes is probably the favorite for the Cy Young right now but Greene is in the next group of players right behind him. If Lodolo could stay healthy he would be quite an asset.
EDLC tends to improve more than anyone year after year. Expect great things from EDLC this summer.
I think Lowe and Bleday will have new life with this team and each will hit 30 HR. EDLC and Suarez will join them in the 30 HR club.
Hopes this helps.
Oh so it’s obvious Burns will be injured. Got it.
You should probably find a different hobby.
Hey Doug,
Once a player is elevated to the 40 man
roster, how easily can a player be removed and replaced by another player if it is non-
injury related or traded from the
organization?
In particular, I am speaking of pitcher Luis Mey. His 2026 spring stats are atrocious against mostly AA & AAA hitters to this point.
It just seems like he will need to spend more time in the minors to earn the 40 man spot and leave it open for another better pitcher to be named later.
On another note, I do like the acquisition of Dane Myers.
They can remove them whenever they want to, but they risk another team picking them up for free and losing that player. Luis Mey isn’t going to get DFA’d off of the 40-man roster while he still has options and can be sent to the minor leagues. Spring stats mean nothing and no one should really pay attention to them.
I have started to think the spring stats doesn’t matter while they are bad…But once improved they turn heads….
They turn heads but still don’t matter.
Collier wasn’t invited with a chance of making the big team. That wouldn’t have changed if he had went 7 for 7.
It was more than likely predetermined to send him down during first cuts.
It in no way reflects negatively on him.
No surprises here. A contract question – do, or could, any of the older guys have opt-out clauses? Chavis, Toglia, etc. – I haven’t searched the archives here, so it may be answered in the write-ups at their signing, but does this essentially mean they’ll be on the Bats roster (not Collier to begin) and ready to call-up as needed?
None have been announced at this point. I’d be surprised if the Chavis and Toglia types got one but a guy like Lowe – I’d bet he does have one even though we don’t know one way or the other at this point.
But also, no, none of these guys are guaranteed to be in Louisville. They’ve still got to win spots in the minors and that doesn’t always happen.