Nick Krall Identifies Two Sneaky Reds Players to Watch Closely This Spring

While we all assume if everyone stays healthy, we have a pretty good idea of who will make the roster and who won’t, Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall brought up a couple of interesting names earlier this week.

The two players were Blake Dunn and Rece Hinds.

“I think one guy that comes to mind who really did a great job last year in Triple-A is Rece Hinds," Krall said…He cut his strikeout rate by 12% in Triple-A. If he can do that in the big leagues, he’s got a chance to be a monster.”

Hinds had a fantastic year for Triple-A Louisville in 2025, slashing .302/.359/.563 with 52 extra-base hits and 21 stolen bases. His biggest issue has always been his high whiff rate, but as Krall said, if he gets that under control, he has tons of upside.

“Blake Dunn had a great second half. I think he hit .344 in the second half in Triple-A.”

Dunn broke camp by making the big-league roster in 2025, but things never really clicked. After winning the organization’s Minor League Hitter of the Year award in 2023, his production took a noticeable step back in 2024, as well as in the first half of last season. That’s why it was encouraging to see him bounce back down the stretch. Dunn may not profile as an everyday player, but his speed and above-average outfield defense give him a chance to find himself on a big league roster.

“You have to have a little bit of a wide open completion for some of these guys and let’s see what happens…all these guys have a shot to come in and win spots.”

While it would be a surprise to see either of these two guys make the Opening Day roster, it was interesting to hear Krall speak glowingly about them umprompted on Tuesday.

You can listen to the full show here.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds!

Report: Reds Interested in Signing Familiar Face After Breakout 2025 Season

Hunter Greene Creates Unforgettable Moment for Reds Fan at Redsfest

Two More Cincinnati Reds Players Crack MLB Network’s Top 100 Players List

Report: Multiple Teams Interested in Trading for Key Players on Reds Roster

Reds Star Elly De La Cruz Reveals Status for World Baseball Classic

Cincinnati Reds 2025 Draft Pick Opens Up on Tough Start to Professional Career

Why Elly De La Cruz Turned Down Reds Record Breaking Offer

Cincinnati Reds Announce 2025 Organization Award Winners

One-on-One With New Reds Outfielder Dane Myers

One-on-One With Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Rhett Lowder