Will Benson, the breakout player of the spring makes the Reds’ roster

GOODYEAR, Ariz. –– Over the course of the spring, new Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson saw a number of signs of how much the Reds value him.

Benson, who was traded to the Reds in February, was welcomed by Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson on Benson’s first day with his new team. Benson has heard members of the Reds front office tell him how long they’ve liked him as a player. In the middle of the spring, Benson picked up on the fact that the Reds coaches were giving him more opportunities alongside the Reds’ starters in spring training games.

Then this week, the Reds completed February’s trade with the Cleveland Guardians by naming starting pitcher Steve Hajjar, a 2021 second-round pick, as the player to be named later. Hajjar was the second second-round pick that the Reds had included in that deal, a sign of how much the Reds were willing to give up to add Benson to the outfield.