Reds' Amir Garrett: Competing for fifth spot in rotation

Garrett will compete for the fifth spot in the Reds' rotation in spring training, the Cincinnati Enquirer's Zach Buchanan reports.

Analysis:

It may seem unlikely that Garrett would be legitimately in the mix for this spot, considering he did not even receive a September call-up last year, despite being on the 40-man roster. However, he has just one minor league option remaining, so the Reds may want to see what they have in Garrett as a big league starter. He turns 25 in May, and is older than Robert Stephenson and Cody Reed, both of whom have logged a handful of big league starts and will be competing with Garrett in spring training for the fifth starter spot. The 6-foot-5 southpaw's strikeout rate dipped from 25.1 percent to 19.7 percent after getting a promotion to Triple-A, while he posted an 11.3 percent walk rate -- his worst such mark since he was in rookie ball in 2012. At this point, it is hard to suggest Garrett profiles as more than a No. 4 starter, and he may be better suited for a high-leverage relief role in a Reds bullpen that is sorely lacking a power lefty.