Reds Option Outfielder Blake Dunn to Triple-A Louisville Before Opening Day

Blake Dunn arrived at Reds camp this spring having already done something most players never accomplish: he earned a spot on a big-league Opening Day roster on merit, suited up for Cincinnati in 2025, and then spent the summer rebuilding his swing at Triple-A Louisville, batting .291 with 40 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 98 games. That foundation made him a legitimate candidate to win an outfield job again. Instead, a knee strain and a hyperextension scare briefly sidelined him during camp, and when he returned, the bat never got going. The Reds optioned Dunn to Triple-A Louisville on March 16, also reassigning left-handed pitcher Anthony Misiewicz to minor league camp as Cincinnati continued trimming its roster ahead of Opening Day.

Dunn slashed .136/.240/.318 in 22 at-bats this spring, collecting two extra-base hits and two stolen bases while striking out five times. He entered camp as one of eight outfielders on the 40-man roster but was among the least established at the big-league level, which meant he needed an exceptional Cactus League showing to force the issue. The injury disruption and the cold bat made that impossible.

The 27-year-old was candid about the challenge of holding a roster spot once earned. "Being able to start out at the highest level from the beginning of the spring and earning a spot was (incredible). I didn't have any expectations so earning a spot was great. I started out pretty well but then went into a cold streak and got optioned back to Triple-A," Dunn said, reflecting on his 2025 arc. His 2025 season opened with genuine flashes: a solo home run off Elvin Rodriguez on April 5 against Milwaukee, then a go-ahead two-run double off Erik Miller two days later in San Francisco, the first multi-RBI game of his career. He was also hit by a pitch four times through his first 12 games, a figure tied with Jason LaRue's 2005 tally for second-most by a Red through his first 12 games in the last 125 years, behind only Shin-Soo Choo's seven HBP in 2013. But Dunn finished that stint on an 0-for-17 skid and was optioned to Louisville on May 9.

What he found there reshaped his approach. "The stuff is better in the majors. There aren't any Tarik Skubals that you are facing in Triple-A. You have to adjust to the level of competition. But also be able to understand how pitchers are wanting to attack you," Dunn said. "But the biggest thing is guys don't miss. You really have to capitalize on the pitches to hit because there aren't many of them. That is what guys like Shohei Otani and guys like that do. When they are dialed in, they don't miss that pitch. That is something that comes with time and consistency and trusting yourself. A lot of it is telling yourself you belong. You have to have confidence in yourself when you earn a spot."

Misiewicz, a veteran left-hander who allowed just one run on three hits over six innings this spring, also heads to the minor league side. His strong results were not enough to overcome a significant roster obstacle: he is not on the Reds' 40-man roster, and Cincinnati already has at least two left-handed relievers in Sam Moll and Brock Burke penciled into the bullpen.

With final roster spots still unsettled, Dunn figures to get regular at-bats in Louisville from the start of the season, a familiar environment where he has already demonstrated he can hit.