CINCINNATI -- The Reds are very close to setting their 30-man Opening Day roster, with only a couple of decisions left before they face the Tigers on Friday.

A few players have been told they will make the team -- including outfielder Travis Jankowski, utility players Kyle Farmer and Josh VanMeter and relievers Cody Reed, Nate Jones and Brooks Raley.

With Jankowski as a sixth outfielder, Rule 5 Draft player Mark Payton was told he would not make the roster. Under the rules, Payton was sent back to his original team -- the A’s.

“Travis, he’s an elite athlete, great baserunner, very fast, elite outfield defender,” said Reds manager David Bell. “He’s making adjustments at the plate; we think that will continue to improve. Really, with those two skills, it gives us the ability to put him in situations that can help us impact the game. That kind of set him apart and gave him the opportunity to make this team.”

Benefitting from an expanded roster, Jankowski will likely be a featured asset in an extra-innings situation when the club can start the 10th and beyond with a runner on second base.

“We can’t put too much into the 10th inning, but we anticipate being in that situation,” Bell said. “Any late-inning situation that particular situation could come up, we believe we can put him in a game in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth inning and he can make a play.”

Reed and Raley will join Amir Garrett to give Cincinnati three left-handed relievers in the bullpen. Farmer and VanMeter were strong bets to make the team because of their versatility. Farmer has impressed Bell with his work at shortstop, especially, but he can also serve as a third catcher.

Bell expects that the Reds will either carry 16 position players and 14 pitchers or 15 of each. That would leave at least one bench spot and one bullpen spot still in limbo.

The club could add Francisco Peña as an extra catcher since regular backstop Tucker Barnhart might soon go on the paternity list, as his wife is close to delivering their second child.

Bauer works at Prasco Park
Tuesday was No. 3 starter Trevor Bauer’s turn to pitch. But instead of facing the Tigers during Cincinnati’s 9-7 exhibition win, Bauer faced Reds hitters at the alternate training site -- Prasco Park. Top prospect Nick Lodolo faced Detroit instead.

Bauer is scheduled to face the Tigers in each of his first two regular-season starts, which prompted the change.

“Facing a team twice in a row is difficult as is. Three times hardly ever happens in the regular season,” Bauer said. “The only time it would happen would be in the postseason in a seven-game series. Better just to get my work in and then see them twice out of the gate for the start of the year.”

Bauer threw 99 pitches in the controlled scrimmage conditions.

“It went well; it's hard to tell exactly how well. There were five hitters in the lineup and no defense, so it was hard to get a stat line,” Bauer said. “I felt good physically, commanded the ball well, threw a lot of breaking balls and off-speed stuff for strikes. Everything seemed sharp and ready to go.”