Not only is Kyle Farmer looking to shed his status as a utility player to become the Reds' regular shortstop for 2021, he viewed his change of uniform numbers as another type of status change.

Sunday vs. Cleveland marked Farmer’s first game wearing No. 17 after he wore No. 52 over his first two seasons in Cincinnati. 17 was Farmer’s number during his high school and college years.

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“I'm not Ray Lewis anymore, 52. I feel more like an athlete than a left guard or middle linebacker,” Farmer joked after the game via Zoom. “It's funny, David [Bell, Reds manager], after I hit, he came up to me, he said, 'You look really different and then I realized it was the number.' I'm like, ‘Thanks for noticing.’ It was really funny.”

The start of Spring Training games Sunday meant the true beginning of the Reds’ auditions for their next shortstop. First up was Farmer, who started and played 4 1/2 innings during the 5-1 loss to Cleveland at Goodyear Ballpark.

Another shortstop candidate, Rule 5 player Kyle Holder, played the rest of the eight-inning game. Farmer, Holder, Alex Blandino and non-roster invite Dee Strange-Gordon are among those vying to be the shortstop.

Farmer was 1-for-3 with a double, made a few defensive plays and enjoyed the moment.

“It's a very loose atmosphere in the middle infield and in the whole infield,” Farmer said. “Those guys keep it loose and fun. It was great getting out there in front of the fans and actually playing a real baseball game.”

In the top of the third inning with one out, Farmer swung at a 3-0 pitch from Triston McKenzie and nearly had a home run. Held in the ballpark by the wind, the ball hit the top of the wall in right-center field. Farmer had a double and went to third base on the throw home that got Mark Payton. He scored on next batter Joey Votto’s single.

"Joey didn't think it was going out, that's what he told me, but he's always kidding around with me about that. I hit the ball good, squared it up on the barrel and it was a good Spring Training hit,” Farmer said.

Bell batted Farmer in the leadoff spot for the game so that he could get a chance for an extra at-bat -- something that he hoped to do for all shortstops who start this spring.

“Actually, his body looks different, too. He's just in great shape,” Bell said of Farmer. “Not that he had weight to lose, he just looks strong and lean and he does have a different number. He looked like a different player. He still made the plays like we're used to seeing him make. It was nice to see him hit the ball really well off the right-center-field wall. He looks good. It was a good day all-around for Kyle.”

Farmer has a new hitting approach that is modeled after Brewers outfielder and former MVP Christian Yelich, a former teammate of Reds second baseman Mike Moustakas.

“The move I try to make is the same as Yelich, where he kind of sinks down and then kind of spreads out, and that's why I talk to Moose a lot about it because him and Moose were really close with the Brewers and they were each other's hitting coaches pretty much,” Farmer explained. “He saw me make the move the first time and he was in the cage and he was like, 'It looks like Yelich.' I've been picking his brain left and right on how Yelich makes his move, what he focuses on.”

Defensively in the bottom of the third, Farmer went into the hole to field an Oscar Mercado ground ball and made the throw for the routine out. In the bottom of the fourth, Farmer started a double play on Yu Chang’s ground ball and ended the inning by charging a weak grounder hit by Billy Hamilton for the third out.

Holder was 0-for-1 after replacing Farmer in the fifth inning. He got involved right away with Mercado batting again when Holder snagged a groundball and turned a 6-4-3 double play.

“He's another guy that has a lot of confidence defensively and wants the ball hit to him,” Bell said. “Even the way he started that double play. He looks like a shortstop. To have both of those guys playing that position today, it was nice. It's such an important position and knowing we have guys who can catch the ball and have some range -- and those two aren't the only ones in camp who can really play. It may not be clear-cut, but we really like our options for sure.”