Reds to keep Raisel Iglesias in relief role

Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty expressed confidence in June that right-hander Raisel Iglesias can be a starter, however, the club intends to keep the Cuban defector in a relief role for now.

"He'll stay in the Fall League and get prepared for spring training,"  Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We're going to keep him as reliever right now. He's throwing the ball great."

Iglesias, who signed a seven-year deal with the Reds in June, was expected to play in the Puerto Rico Winter League this offseason, but Jocketty said the 24-year-old will no longer participate.

"We changed that in the last few days," Jocketty said. "We were able to get permission to allow him to pitch some more in the Arizona Fall League. We weren't satisfied that we'd be able to control things as well in Winter Ball."