Hinds played well enough during spring training to earn a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, both he and JJ Bleday were optioned to the minor leagues and began the 2026 season with the Louisville Bats.
But it didn't take long for Hinds to prove that should be in the majors. In 13 games, the former second-round draft pick hit .354/.475/.771 with five home runs, 16 RBI, and a 214 wRC+. Cincinnati recalled Hinds on April 14 and Reds manager Terry Francona has done a good job of allowing him to work through his early struggles.
Over the weekend, Hinds received two starts against the Twins and went 2-for-7 with a double and two RBI. He cleared the bases in the top of the 10th inning on Sunday to push two more runs across and give the Reds a 7-4 lead heading into the bottom-half of the inning.
Hinds has been a boom-or-bust prospect throughout his entire Reds' tenure. The power-speed combination is tantalizing, but the strikeouts remain a major issue. Hinds appeared to turn a corner in 2025, posting a career-low 25.9% strikeout rate. That number remained consistent through his first two weeks in the Derby City this season. Hinds went down swining just 24.6% of the time across 61 minor-league plate appearances.
If that level of consistency translates to the major leagues, the Reds will have an absolute monster in the middle of their lineup.
Though he's yet to do so this season, every Reds fans knows just how far Hinds can hit a baseball. Laying off those breaking balls down in the strike zone will be key for him as he looks to earn a more permanent spot in the Reds lineup.
Hinds can't afford to let up. The aforementioned Bleday has been mashing down in the minors, and at some point one can assume that Cincinnati's coaching staff would love to give Marte more run in the outfield.