Reds' promotion of Mike Napoli has him poised to be a future manager

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Napoli was instrumental in helping Spencer Steer become a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman and changing the approaches of players, which led to success down the stretch. 

"Napoli, the World Series veteran player who also was a coach on Ross' staffs in Chicago, joined Francona's staff in 2025 as an all-purpose coach who had big influences on Spencer Steer's emergence as a Gold Glove-finalist first baseman, several hitters' approaches and, some suggest, the team's resilience in the face of what looked like season-killing losses down the stretch," Wittenmyer wrote.

Mike Napoli has paid his dues and has the experience to be a successful manager 

At 44 years old, Napoli is right in the pocket of where front offices want their managers to be, with the league trending toward younger hires. This is evident by the recent hiring of the San Francisco Giants' Tony Vitello (47), the Rangers hiring Skip Schumaker (45) and the Washington Nationals hiring the youngest manager in over 50 years, Blake Butera (33).

Napoli also brings experience as he takes the old-fashioned route of becoming a manager, which is playing, coaching and then eventually managing. When the time comes for him to become a candidate for manager, Napoli will have a leg up on most candidates. Not just with his background as a player, but with his experience from learning from a variety of managers. This includes:

• David Ross (2019-23): His former teammate while with the Red Sox when they won the World Series in 2013. Gave him the feel of being a more player-focused manager. 
• Craig Counsell (2024): A manager who tries to blend analytics with a "feel for the game" approach, and who works closely with the front office on some roster decision-making. 
• Terry Francona (2025-present): A future Hall of Fame manager with over 20 years of experience, Francona is an all-around manager, bringing an old-school style mixed with a new age mindset of implementing analytics and in-game feel. 

This melting pot should help Napoli when he decides to throw his name into the ring for a manager's job. This promotion could signal he is the Reds' next manager when Francona retires. Francona (66) signed a three-year deal before the 2024 season, with a club option for 2028.