Blake Dunn, Jacob Hurtubise Make Opening Day Roster
Cincinnati Reds outfielders Blake Dunn and Jacob Hurtubise have both made the team's Opening Day roster, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. Austin Hays (calf) will begin the year on the injured list, while the club also designated Stuart Fairchild for assignment. Dunn, 26, was excellent this spring with a .340/.404/.574 slash line, two homers, three doubles, a triple, eight RBI and a steal in 24 Cactus League games. The right-handed hitter could see some run early in the year with Spencer Steer (shoulder) limited to DH duties and Hays on the shelf. Hurtubise, 27, who bats left-handed, also earned a roster spot with a strong spring, going 11-for-38 (.289) with three doubles, two triples, three RBI and five steals in 23 spring training contests. He could be in play for the short side of a platoon in left with Dunn to begin the 2025 season.
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Blake Dunn went 2-for-2 in Thursday's 11-8 Cactus League loss to the Royals, showcasing his speed by lacing a triple and his power by belting a home run, collecting two RBI in the process. It brings his spring batting average to .317 with two home runs and eight RBI in 41 at-bats. Dunn is currently projected to be the fifth outfielder for the Reds, who made his MLB debut last season. The right-handed hitter struggled to a .154 AVG (4-for-26) with 11 strikeouts (37.9 percent) during his limited action. Despite those results, the 26-year-old has shown he's got some pop in his bat, belting as many as 23 home runs between High-A and Double-A in 2023 and stealing 54 bases that season. He hit seven home runs at Triple-A in 2024 and a 10.7 percent walk rate helped him get on base to steal 21 bags. Without a starting job, though, the 5-foot-10 slugger isn't an option for fantasy outside of deep NL-only leagues.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Blake Dunn had a game to remember on Thursday, hitting his first major league homer and swiping his first two major league bases in a 15-3 loss against the Atlanta Braves. Dunn hit the homer off Chris Sale, so it wasn't a cheapy. The 26-year-old has mostly been a bench bat for the Reds in his brief major league time, so opportunities have been limited. He also hasn't hit well, but maybe this game will spark something. He won't matter for fantasy unless something big changes, but this was a nice little game for Dunn nonetheless.
The Cincinnati Reds have demoted outfield prospect Blake Dunn. Dunn, the club's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline has been up-and-down all season and was recently promoted on July 3. This time, he only lasted a week, before being sent back down to Triple-A Louisville. The 25-year-old has struggled in his brief stints this season with one hit in 18 at-bats. Dunn figures to get some more chances at the big-league level this season, but he is unlikely to get much of an opportunity in the lineup. Even if he does, he doesn't offer much for managers to be excited about. He can safely remain on the waiver wire in all formats.
Jacob Hurtubise
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Reds
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