The Reds announced a series of camp cuts today, the most notable being that infielder Noelvi Marté has been optioned to Triple-A Louisville. They also optioned right-handers Yosver Zulueta and Connor Phillips as well as infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan ad outfielder Rece Hinds.
The news isn’t especially surprising but highlights how far Marté’s stock has fallen in the past year. He had been a top 100 prospect for years as he ascended the minor leagues and then had a torrid start to his big league career. The Reds, who acquired the prospect as part of the July 2022 trade that sent Luis Castillo to Seattle, first promoted Marté in the middle of August 2023. He took 123 plate appearances as that season was winding down, hitting .316/.366/.456.
That was inflated by a .384 batting average on balls in play that didn’t make it seem wholly sustainable, but Marté was only 21 years old at the time and had a lengthy track record of hitting in the minors. While some regression may have been expected, it was nonetheless hoped that he could take the third base job in Cincinnati and run with it.
Unfortunately, it’s been all downhill since then. Marté was hit with an 80-game suspension just over a year ago, on March 8 of 2024, after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone. He was reinstated in late June last year but hit a dismal .210/.248/.301 for the Reds after that. His 3.7% walk rate and 31% strikeout rate last year were both awful numbers. He has received 22 plate appearances this spring, striking out in 36.4% of those while only walking at a 4.5% clip, leading to a .150/.182/.400 line.
The Reds understandably don’t feel they can rely on Marté to face big league pitching right now, so he’ll head to minors and try to get back on track. For what it’s worth, the strikeout and walk profile was far better until recently. From 2019 to 2023, he stepped to the plate 1,729 times in the minors. He walked in 11% of those and was only punched out at a 20.2% clip. In the majors in 2023, his 6.5% walk rate was a bit below average but his 20.3% strikeout rate was solid.
It’s only been since the PED suspension that Marté has had such pronounced struggles at the plate. While it’s clearly been a rough year, he is still young, having just turned 23 in October. Perhaps being away from the big-league spotlight can help him get right again. In terms of service time, he didn’t collect any while suspended and is currently at 139 days, a bit shy of the one-year mark. He’ll get over that one-year line if he is recalled for at least 33 days during the 2025 season.
As for the third base job in Cincinnati, MLBTR recently took a look at some of the options. It’s possible that Jeimer Candelario ends up taking the bulk of the playing time there, but he could also be at first base or in the designated hitter slot. That could allow for players like Gavin Lux, Christian Encarnacion-Strand or Santiago Espinal to get some time there as well.
It’s frustrating they can’t develop Hinds into a power hitting OF.
Maybe this is his year. That’s the thing about top of the draft talent – it can click at any time and when it does – the athletic ability is already there
Hinds has a 35% K rate in minor leagues. He has a severe deficiency in talent, that being pitch recognition. Find one player that had a 35% K rate in minor leagues with at least 1000 PAs that went on to even a moderately successful MLB career. There are none. You are calling something that has never been done before “frustrating”. The only thing frustrating is those that think Hinds is actually a realistic prospect.
I was going to try to take you up your challenge and came up with Joey Gallo at 34.2 percent. Still can’t find 35 percent.
True. Most of the blame should always be on the player themselves. I always told my players that I was going to train them in practice and give them an opportunity in the games and the rest is up to them. Hinds and Marte have no one to blame but themselves for not stepping up. Both have been given ample chances.
Jbryant and Brooklyn. That is very interesting thank you for your service to the comment section by backing you comment and then checking. Very informative.
Marte isn’t that much of a surprise. Underperformance and a PED suspension aren’t big pluses. A bad spring training didn’t help, either.
Marte needs to be this years version of Conner Phillips. He needs to be sent to Arizona and start his whole game anew, rebuild his confidence, and work his way back into playing contention
Absolutely agree. It’s clear his confidence is shook needs to just reset and get back to the player he was pre 2024
You just don’t know when he began using PEDs and just didn’t get caught.
Hasn’t exactly worked for Phillips so far…
He needs a new kind of juice that is harder to detect.
Marte looks totally lost at the plate now, while he had a great swing when he came up. Cowboy made a good point about the change in him in their spring training broadcast. Also his defense has suffered for whatever reason. He needs every day reps and some further re-instruction both ways.
I hope they get him straightened out because he was impressive when he was on point. He could get bypassed quickly because there are a couple hot infield prospects in Collier and Stewart coming fast behind him.
I had high hopes for Marte at one point, but now it seems pretty clear Marte wothout PEDs is like a car without gas.
Would you say he’s more like a Tesla or an Ioniq?
A Tesla, because his stock is down… but he could catch on fire at any time.
Coffee spitting LOL right there elmedius. That was good.
I’m really sick of people saying this it’s pretty clear they test for PEDs in the minors and he was phenomenal there. He used the PEDs in the offseason to rehab a hamstring injury. Not defending what he did it was stupid but sick of the clueless comments about it. The PED he took wouldn’t make him a better hitter obviously it would help you recover better but the kid does have talent it’s just clear his confidence is gone
Obviously his results before and after say otherwise.You can get tired and sick all you want but the results of almost every caught PED user dramatically drop after getting caught and their excuses for using them are just that an excuse for cheating.
This ^^^. He is far from the only player this has happened to after being caught doing PEDs, but ever since he was caught, he cant hit a BB. I am not saying he is certainly done, but we have had enough sample size at this point to see the results are MASSIVELY different. I am not sure how anyone couldn’t see that and not wonder.
“He used the PEDs in the offseason to rehab a hamstring injury”. Not according to Noelvi Marte. He has said he doesn’t know why he tested positive for PEDS.
Well, the IF opening day roster getting clearer now: CES, JC, McClain, Lux, EDLC and Espinal. The OF still blurry behind Friedl, Fraley and Hays: Benson, Fairchild, Hurtubise and Dunn fighting for one spot, two if Steer opens the season injured.
The outfield has been blurry for two years now, and nothing was done to really address it.
Let’s face it, Hays is a lottery ticket that may or may not pay off. Who knows how many games Fraley will play and he can’t hit lefties. Hopefully Friedl doesn’t get injured. A lot of ifs and buts and hopes for a good Christmas.
The OF definitely can’t afford any injuries. Maybe Lux could be tried in LF. Blake Dunn has had a decent spring thus far. I wonder if he makes the roster as a backup or platoon guy.
Dunn has outplayed Benson and Fairchild for sure.
Benson is another one who needs a swing doctor. Teams used to have a guy with that moniker in their organization, not sure if that went by the wayside with three hitting coaches on a team now.
Benson is in the same boat as Hinds and Marte. After ample chances you need to become productive with the bat. Benson has had more chances than the other two.
Hays is hardly a lottery ticket, he’s a proven MLBr.
Hays/Lux in LF
Friedl in CF
Fraley/Hays in RF
and Dunn or Fairchild/Benson should make for a good OF. People are sleeping on Hayes, Friedl, and Fraley.
I could’t agree more Earny. Hays is a former allstar who was injured last year and has something to prove – before testing the FA waters next offseason. Reds probably give Fairchild the 5th outfielder nod to start the season (he has no option). I expect an effective outfield from the Reds this season (if healthy).
Marte should have been optioned last year for what he did on and off the field.
Benson too, for that matter, as far as on the field.
All the tools are there for Benson to be an impact player, but CIN is starting to come to the same conclusion as CLE did before they traded him – something is missing, and it’s hard to put your finger on it.
“something is missing”
bat, ball
Mariners won this trade
By far.
WAY TOO EARLY to call winners and losers on this trade. Arroyo could end up being the Reds starting SS for years, while Marte is still young enough to figure it out.
Arroyo definitely has the best glove of all the SS. If his bat develops and EDLC’s errors continue at too high a rate, I wonder if the Reds will move EDLC to 3B or the OF. Time will tell on that. You also have Stewart and Collier as potential players at 3B, DH or 1B. OF is where the cupboard is bare for the near future and other than EDLC, none mentioned are candidates for the OF. I guess you could move Arroyo to the OF, but that would be foolish with his defensive talent level.
Arroyo can still turn into something.
What if Castillo ends up injured and just generally bad for the next 3 seasons?
He’s already mediocre.
He’s a # 3 sp in most rotations, that’s hardly mediocre.
The Reds have a great, loyal fan base and a nice stadium. We hang on to the glory days, unfortunate. This ownership group has a made a few good deals over the years but mostly been hard to watch
Marte tore up minor and major league pitching in 2023. He was then busted for using PEDS. He has been awful ever since. It’s almost like his 2023 numbers had something to do with him juicing. Hmmmm.
It has been said that the Latin players use stuff in the offseason, some which get past testing. Not true in Marte’s case in 2024, but 2023? You might have something there.
The Reds drew 2.1 million fans last year.