The Cincinnati Reds have a very young and solid starting rotation heading into the 2012 season. It is also a pretty deep rotation. Here is a look at the Reds’ rotation as of right now:

#1: Johnny Cueto: 25-year old righty starting pitcher Johnny Cueto has graduated to being the ace of the staff in 2012. Cueto pitched in 24 games (all starts) for the Reds last year and he was 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has now pitched in 116 games (all starts) in his first four years for the Reds and he is 41-37 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Cueto has the stuff to keep pitching like he did last year, the Reds are hoping that he can just stay healthy all year long.

#2: Mat Latos: The Reds dealt for 24-year old righty Mat Latos and he didn’t come cheap. That means the Reds have high hopes for him both in 2012 and down the road. Latos pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the Padres last year and he was 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He has now pitched in 72 games (all starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 27-29 with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Latos has the same kind of upside that Cueto does, so the Reds are going to be happy with the top of the rotation in 2012 and beyond.

#3: Bronson Arroyo: 34-year old righty Bronson Arroyo is going to drop to #3 in the rotation for 2012 and that’s a good thing for both him and the Reds. Arroyo pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Reds last year and he was 9-12 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He has now pitched in 201 games (all starts) in his first six years with the Reds and he is 79-72 with a 4.14 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Arroyo has now pitched in 327 games (291 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 112-105 with 1 save, a 4.28 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Arroyo is an innings eater, which every rotation needs, but the Reds need him to rebound in 2012.

#4: Mike Leake: 24-year old righty Mike Leake really pitched well for the Reds last year. He pitched in 29 games (26 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 12-9 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Leake has now pitched in 53 games (48 starts) in his first two years with the Reds and he is 20-13 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Reds hope that Leake continues to improve as his career goes on.

#5: Homer Bailey: 25-year old righty Homer Bailey pitched his best baseball of his major league career so far in 2011. He pitched in 22 games (all starts) for the Reds last year and he was 9-7 with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Bailey has now pitched in 78 games (all starts) in his first five years with the Reds and he is 25-23 with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Bailey will have to step up to hold off the competition for the #5 spot in the starting rotation this spring.

Aroldis Chapman: 23-year old lefty Aroldis Chapman is going to get a shot to win a job in the rotation this spring. Chapman pitched in 54 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 4-1 with 1 save, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has now pitched in 69 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 6-3 with 1 save, a 3.27 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. If Chapman ever refines his control, he will be truly nasty, but he has walked 46 batters in his first 63 1/3 innings in the majors. On the positive side of things, Chapman has only given up 33 hits while whiffing 90 batters in those same 63 1/3 innings…..showing just how wicked he can be. If he doesn’t improve his control this spring, he will be in the bullpen again in 2012.

Jeff Francis: 30-year old lefty Jeff Francis will also be in the mix this spring for the #5 job in the Reds’ starting rotation. Francis pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the Royals last year and he was 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He has now pitched in 181 games (180 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 61-66 with a 4.78 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Francis will be a longshot to win a job in the Reds’ rotation when the 2012 season starts.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: B+

63-year old manager Dusty Baker could do no wrong last year until the playoffs and the Reds hope he has his magic touch once again in 2011. Baker led the Reds to the N.L. Central Divison Championship last year with a 91-71 (56.2%) record but in the playoffs they were swept in three games by the Phillies. The Reds are now 243-243 (50%) during the regular season in Baker’s three years with the Reds. Baker has now managed in the majors for 17 years in which he is 1,405-1,284 (52.2%) in the regular season and he is 17-22 (43.6%) in the post-season. Every move Baker made last season deemed to work for the Reds last year and that’s a hard thing to carry over.

35-year old righty closer Francisco Cordero appears to be slowing down a bit for the Reds. He pitched in 75 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 6-5 with 40 saves, a 3.84 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He whiffed 59 batters and walked 36 batters in 72 2/3 innings last year, which starts to give you and idea of why he is sliding a bit. Cordero has now pitched in 215 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Reds and he is 13-15 with 113 saves, a 3.13 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. The Reds need Cordero to rebound in 2011.

28-year old righty Nick Masset will serve as one of the Reds’ set-up men once again in 2011. Masset pitched in 82 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 4-4 with 2 saves, a 3.40 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He gave up only 64 hits in 76 2/3 innings last year while whiffing 85 batters, showing just how nasty he can be. Masset has now pitched in 166 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Reds and he is 10-5 with 2 saves, a 2.81 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Masset has the arsenal to be a closer for the Reds down the road.

23-year old lefty Aroldis Chapman also has the pure stuff of a future closer, but for now he will have to settle with sharing the set-up role with Nick Masset. Chapman comes into this season as the Reds’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 15 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 2-2 with a 2.03 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He whiffed 19 batters and only gave up 9 hits in his first 13 1/3 innings for the Reds, which shows just how nasty he can be. Chapman also pitched in 39 games (13 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 9-6 with 8 saves, a 3.57 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

26-year old righty Logan Ondrusek pitched pretty decent for the Reds as a rookie in 2010. He pitched in 60 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 5-0 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Ondrusek only gave up 49 hits in 58 2/3 innings last year, but 7 of them went out of the park. He will likely be working in the middle innings for the Reds in 2011.

25-year old righty Jordan Smith also pitched decent as a rookie last year for the Reds. Smith pitched in 37 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 3-2 with 1 save, a 3.86 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Smith will likely work in the middle innings just like Ondrusek in 2011.

27-year old lefty Bill Bray will help give the Reds’ bullpen balance in 2011. Bray pitched in 35 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 0-2 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has now pitched in 146 games (0 starts) in his first four years with the Reds and he is 7-8 with 3 saves, a 3.91 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. The Reds will need either Bray or Danny Herrera to step up to help replace Arthur Rhodes who signed on with the Rangers over the winter.

26-year old lefty Danny Herrera is solid when he’s throwing strikes. Herrera pitched in 36 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 1-3 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. He has now pitched in 113 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Reds and he is 5-7 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. I have a feeling that Herrera will step up in 2011 for the Reds.

29-year old righty Jared Burton didn’t get much action for the Reds in 2010. He pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.00 WHIP. Burton has now pitched in 158 games (0 starts) in his first four seasons with the Reds and he is 10-3 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Burton pitch good for the Reds in 2011, as he has been solid in the past for them.

27-year old righty Jose Arredondo missed all of 2010 due to surgery. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 with the Angels. Arredondo has pitched in 95 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 12-5 with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has whiffed 102 batters and only has given up 89 hits in his first 106 innings in the majors, which shows what kind of stuff he has when his health is right.

28-year old righty Carlos Fisher will be looking to rebound in 2011. He pitched in 18 games (0 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 1-1 with a 5.64 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Fisher has now pitched in 57 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Reds and he is 2-2 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE REDS BULLPEN IN 2011: B

34-year old righty Bronson Arroyo will likely be only starter over 28-years old for the Reds in 2011. Arroyo started 33 games for the Reds last season and he was 17-10 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has now pitched in 169 games (all starts) in his first five years with the Reds and he is 70-60 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Arroyo has averaged 217 1/3 innings per year with the Reds as he is a horse. He is by far the most dependable starter the Reds will have in 2011.

25-year old righty Johnny Cueto finally learned who to pitch instead of just throw last season and the results were good. Cueto started 31 games for the Reds last season and he was 12-7 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He has now pitched in 92 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Reds and he is 32-32 with a 4.27 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Of the righty pitchers the Reds will have in the starting rotation, Cueto has the highest upside.

27-year old righty Edison Volquez will always be known in Cincy as the guy the Reds got back from the Rangers for Josh Hamilton. Volquez started 12 games for the Reds last season and he was 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He has now pitched in 54 games (53 starts) in his first three years with the Reds and he is 25-11 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Volquez is one of the best pitchers the Reds have to offer when he’s healthy, so they need him to stay in one piece in 2011.

24-year old righty Homer Bailey finally started to show something positive for the Reds last season. He started 19 games for the Reds in 2010 and he was 4-3 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Bailey has now started 56 games in his first four years with the Reds and he is 16-16 with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Hopefully, Bailey has started to turn the corner because he has much better stuff than his record indicates.

24-year old lefty Travis Wood really made a splash with the Reds in 2010. He started 17 games for the Reds last season and he was 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He only gave up 85 hits in 102 2/3 innings for the Reds last year, and he had 86 whiffs and only 26 walks which is pretty impressive. Wood also pitched in 16 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 5-6 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He is the favorite to land the #5 job in the starting rotation right now as they would like to have a lefty in the rotation.

23-year old righty Mike Leake skipped the minors and went right to the majors. He was the Reds’ first round pick (#8 overall) in the 2009 Amateur Draft. Leake pitched in 24 games (22 starts) for the Reds last season and he was 8-4 with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. If Leake doesn’t win a job in the rotation, it will be interesting to see if they use him out of the pen or send him to AAA.

27-year old lefty Matt Maloney is too talented to rot in the minors again in 2011. He pitched in 7 games (2 starts) for the Reds last season and he was 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Maloney has now pitched in 14 games (9 starts) in his first two years with the Reds and he is 4-6 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He has only walked 13 batters in his first 61 1/3 innings in the majors, so he’s not intimidated at all by big league hitters. Look for him to win a job in the pen if he doesn’t win a job in the rotation in 2011.

26-year old righty Sam LeCure comes into this season as the Reds’ #25 prospect according to Baseball America. LeCure pitched in 15 games (6 starts) for the Reds last season and he was 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He also started 15 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 8-3 with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He will likely start the year in AAA-ball again in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE REDS STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: B

23-year old lefty swinging Jay Bruce will be the starting RF for the Reds in 2011. Bruce played in 148 games for the Reds last season and he was 143 of 509 (.281 avg, .846 OPS) with 80 runs scored, 25 homers, 70 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Bruce played in 146 games in RF for the Reds last season and he only had 3 errors while showing off a strong arm with 7 assists. Bruce showed out of this world range in RF as he took his game to a new level in the field. Bruce has the potential to be the 2nd best player on the Reds behind Joey Votto, so we will see how badly he wants it.

Chris Heisey and Fred Lewis will likely be Bruce’s top backups in 2011. Heisey played in 27 games in RF last season for the Reds and he had 2 errors and 1 assist while showing off good range. Lewis played in 10 error-free games in RF last season for he Jays while showing out of this world range.

27-year old lefty swinging Jeremy Hermida is going to have to fight hard for a roster spot on the Reds this spring. He played in 73 games for the A’s & Red Sox last season and he was 48 of 222 (.216 avg, .619 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 6 homers, 29 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He is a career .259 hitter with a .752 OPS in his first six years in the majors, so he’s a better hitter than he showed last year. Hermida played in 24 error-free games in RF last season but he showed slightly below average range and he only had 1 assist.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE REDS RF IN 2011: B