GOODYEAR Roberto Alomar Jersey , Ariz. (AP) — Realmuto and hoped that they wouldn’t be able to swing a deal for the All-Star. Having endured the hardest part of a rebuild, he wanted to be in Cincinnati for a turnaround.Barnhart got his wish. Realmuto was dealt to Philadelphia — another team seemingly on the rise after major changes — and Barnhart got to stay with the Reds and handle a rotation that’s been overhauled.After four straight 90-loss seasons, the Reds are trying to become competitive in the NL Central.“I want to be a part of the finished product of the rebuild that was started when I came up in ’14. It’s continued since. I want to be a part of the winning,” Barnhart said. “Hopefully, that starts now.”Barnhart thought he would be an important part of the rebuild when the Reds gave him a $16 million, four-year contract that runs through 2021 and includes a club option for 2022. He was coming off a 2017 season in which he became only the third catcher in franchise history to win a Gold Glove.Last season, Barnhart batted .248 and set career highs with 114 hits and 10 homers. He drove in 46 runs.Barnhart was enthused when the Reds traded for starters Sonny Gray, Tanner Roark and Alex Wood during the offseason, fixing their biggest problem during four straight 90-loss seasons. Then, he heard the news that the Reds were interested in getting Realmuto in a deal with the Marlins, who lost 98 games last season.“When I heard those things in the offseason, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to fruition,” Barnhart said. “I want to be here.”On Feb. 7, the Marlins traded Realmuto to Philadelphia for catcher Jorge Alfaro, two pitching prospects and $250,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation.As a result, the 28-year-old Barnhart remains among the longest-tenured Reds behind 35-year-old Joey Votto.“It’s crazy to think about for sure, that I’ve been around the longest except for Joey,” Barnhart said. “It shows the organization trusts the both of us to be a part of it.”Barnhart is spending the early part of camp getting to know the three newcomers in the rotation, who will vie for spots along with Anthony DeScalfani and Luis Castillo. First-year manager David Bell hasn’t decided how to slot the starters for the spring games.The Reds also overhauled their outfield in a trade with the Dodgers to acquire Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Most of the players acquired in the deals can become free agents after the 2019 season, so more change is ahead as the Reds try to climb out of their last-place rut.“It shows we’re in a position where the front office thinks we can win now http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-dustin-pedroia-jersey ,” Barnhart said. “In the clubhouse, that’s all you can ask for.”NOTES: Reserve catcher Curt Casalli had surgery on his left hip during the offseason and will miss the early spring games. Bell expects him to be ready by the start of the season on March 28 against the Pirates. … Infielder Alex Blandino had surgery to repair a torn ACL last July. He is fielding ground balls but it’s not clear whether he’ll be ready for the opener.… RHP Robert Stephenson is being evaluated for a sore right shoulder. A third-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2014, Brian Anderson wasn't popping on too many star radars heading into the season.The 25-year-old got an opening with one of baseball's most aggressively rebuilding teams, though, and he's made the most of it.With a .284/.366/.420 slash line and the ability to play capable defense at third base and in right field, Anderson leads all rookies in fWAR.The fact he plies his trade for a Marlins team that is years away from contention and wasn't a sparkling prospect dims his light a bit, but results are results.The Fish reeled in a keeper.No. 6: RHP Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals3 of 8Dilip Vishwanat/Getty ImagesThe St. Louis Cardinals hold only a slim chance of making the postseason in 2018 in a National League Central that's dominated by the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers and a Senior Circuit that features a bevy of postseason contenders.What the Cards dohave going for them is a stable of young stud pitchers, led by right-hander Jack Flaherty.In 90.1 innings, the 22-year-old has struck out 111 while posting a 3.49 ERA. On Sunday, he twirled six scoreless frames against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates and earned warranted praise from his rival skipper."That's the best game we've seen him pitch," Bucs manager Clint Hurdle said, per MLB.com's Jennifer Langosch. "The slider played the best we've seen it, and that made everything else tougher to hit. The fastball was tougher to hit, but the slider played extremely well, especially to left-handed hitters."The 34th overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft, Flaherty's ceiling may not reach the stratosphere. But he should be the next St. Louis prospect to make good and deliver significant results at the highest level.No. 5: 3B Miguel Andujar, New York Yankees4 of 8Julie Jacobson/Associated PressSo we arrive at the first of two New York Yankees on this list.Miguel Andujar didn't trail as much hype as other Yanks youngsters heading into 2018, but all he's done is hit .292 with 14 homers and 48 RBI at the hot corner in the Bronx."I think we're kind of witnessing the continued emergence of what's going to be a really good hitter in this league for a long time," manager Aaron Boone said, per Newsday's Owen O'Brien. "He's a tough out for us wherever we put him in the order."Few Babe Ruth Jersey , if any, penciled in the 23-year-old Dominican as the immediate answer at third for New York. There are cautionary flags, including a .325 batting average on balls in play that outpaces his Steamer projection by 26 points.On the other hand, Andujar is posting All-Star-quality production in pinstripes and marching toward the postseason. What's not to love?No. 4: Of Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves5 of 8Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesThe Atlanta Braves are blossoming ahead of schedule, and Ronald Acuna Jr. has been an exciting part of the overachieving youth movement.The burgeoning Venezuelan, who won't turn 21 until December 18 and tantalized this spring, has hit 11 homers with an .830 OPS in 56 games for the Braves. He's also hit .364 with a 1.053 OPS in August.There's always room for backsliding with players his age. The Braves, in general, feel like they may be burning a tad brighter than they're capable of and setting their fans up for some mild temporary disappointment.That's just a hunch, though. According to the standings, Atlanta is in the thick of the NL playoff hunt. And according to the stats, eyeball test and big league output, Acuna is a scintillating soon-to-be star.No. 3: INF Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees6 of 8Julie Jacobson/Associated PressGleyber Torres has failed to find his stroke since returning from a strained hip. He's suffered some missteps in the field."Sometimes I try to make plays and I don't," Torres said, per Dan Martin of the New York Post. "I've missed a couple plays and I feel bad. I just try to be professional, but I'm human and I'm trying to get better."Torres has already been pretty dang good, though. Injuries and fleeting lapses aside, he's hitting .279 with 17 home runs in 73 games and has appeared, for significant stretches http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-david-ortiz-jersey , like a generational stud.Keep in mind, he's 21 years old.Even as they push to win their 28th title, the Yanks will exhibit patience. As they ought to. Torres is young, but he's deployed the tools and results to suggest he's the heir apparent to a Bronx infield that's produced more than a few current and future Hall of Famers.No. 2: OF Juan Soto, Washington Nationals7 of 8Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesWith Bryce Harper's foray into free agency fast approaching, the Washington Nationals have two palatable options: Go all-in to re-sign their franchise player or anoint an heir apparent.Option two sounds a lot more plausible in light of Juan Soto's 2018 bust-out.In 65 games with with the Nats, Soto is hitting .313 with a .984 OPS and 13 home runs. Did we mention he's 19 years old?Does this mean Soto will replace Harper in the hearts and minds of D.C. baseball fans and lead the Nationals to the promised land? Not necessarily.Should the fact that a teenager is doing what he's doing while posting a .962 August OPS pique your interest and inspire dreams of a generational stud in the offing?Absolutely.No. 1: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels8 of 8Tony Dejak/Associated PressAh, Shohei Ohtani. How you confound.The two-way Japanese star was the most intriguing prize of the offseason before agreeing to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, a big-market-adjacent squad.Then he had a rough spring and there was talk of a bust. Then he got off to a strong start on the mound and with the bat in the regular season and the Babe Ruth comparisons returned. Then an elbow issue put him on the shelf for a bit and derailed his pitching until further notice.Here's what we know: Ohtani posted a 3.10 ERA and averaged 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 49.1 frames. He's also posted an .858 OPS and 11 homers in 209 plate appearances.The 24-year-old has the tools and, now, the early results to be a front-line starting hurler anda force with the lumber.Will he hold up? Will his elbow and other body parts ultimately betray him and either force him to pick a gig (hitter vs. pitcher) or hang it up prematurely?That's possible.If we're looking at the intersection of ability, early results, location (yeah, it'd be better if he were on the Los Angeles Dodgers, but still) and intangibles, no 2018 rookie has a higher ceiling for stardom than Ohtani, and it's not especially close. All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Reference and current as of Sunday.