When thinking about candidates to be the Reds¡¯ shortstop this season, don¡¯t forget about Alex Blandino. Manager David Bell sure hasn¡¯t, even though Blandino¡¯s name is rarely the first one mentioned.

Blandino started at third base Monday but moved over to shortstop to replace Jose Garcia for an inning in the bottom of the fifth during the Reds¡¯ 13-5 loss to the A¡¯s at Mesa, Ariz. Bell plans to get Blandino starts at shortstop soon.

¡°Getting the at-bats is the most important thing, and there¡¯s only one guy we can play at short each day, or at least, maybe two,¡± Bell said. ¡°But when I told Blandy he was playing third base, I said, ¡®Hey, I haven¡¯t forgotten. We want to see you at short, too.¡¯

¡°Blandy has been really impressive with how he¡¯s handled everything he¡¯s been asked to do. A lot of times, in fairness, he¡¯s been left out of the conversation at times for whatever reason -- it wasn¡¯t intentional -- and I¡¯m excited to see him play.¡±

? Finnegan takes step back toward Majors

Although he was at third base vs. Oakland, Blandino was busy fielding several balls in the shortstop area because of defensive shifts. He made a first-inning throwing error on Chad Pinder¡¯s grounder but made up for it by turning an inning-ending double play on next batter, Matt Olson.

¡°That's just how it's going to be from now on ¡­ the analytics and all the shifting,¡± Blandino said. ¡°I think if you had a chart, I've probably stood at every single spot on the infield waiting for a ground ball at this point.?Nothing is foreign to me at this point now.¡±

Blandino, 28, was a shortstop for Stanford University when selected by the Reds in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. But the organization profiled him more at second base or third base, and that was reflected in how he was used as he moved up the system.

By the time he was called up to the big leagues for the first time in 2018, Blandino was a utility player.

¡°I pride myself on my versatility, learning a few other positions in my time in the Minors and in the big leagues, I've even played first a little bit,¡± Blandino said. ¡°It's exciting to be in the mix at short. I think I can definitely get some innings there. Yeah, I'm just looking to prove something in spring and have a good run at it.¡±

On July 20, 2018, 69 games into his rookie year, he suffered a season-ending right knee injury while turning a double play vs. the Pirates. Three days later, he had surgery to repair both the medial and anterior collateral ligaments.

It took nearly a year for Blandino to get back on the field, and he spent much of the 2019 season at Triple-A Louisville before he was given a September callup.

When Spring Training was abruptly halted by the COVID-19 outbreak last year, Blandino¡¯s great camp was derailed. He was batting .458 with two home runs. ?After everybody returned, Blandino spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site or as a member of the taxi squad on road trips.

¡°Blandy was playing as well as anyone in camp. He was really out to prove and to show that he belonged on the team,¡± Bell said. ¡°We¡¯ll see where he is, but he¡¯s going to get an opportunity.¡±

Blandino is competing this spring with Kyle Farmer, Kyle Holder, Dee Strange-Gordon and Garcia for the shortstop opening.

¡°Just like his personality, he¡¯s just solid,¡± Bell said of Blandino. ¡°He¡¯s a solid defender. He makes the plays. I think the key for him to be to just show his range and mobility, and I¡¯m confident that he will do that.¡±

Despite not manning shortstop regularly for a while, Blandino believed he still has the skills and range to perform there.

¡°I think it just comes down to being in good physical shape, not being overweight, being mobile,¡± he said. ¡°I think my arm plays at any position in the infield, and my hands are good. Although I didn't play there for a few years there too much, I never lost sight of what it took to be a shortstop, the work that's needed.¡±