Reds General Discussion 2026, Part 2

Any language barrier is not the problem. There are tons of player from foreign lands, that need an interpreter yet hit the cover off the ball.

Heck, I couldn't understand Tony Perez or Davey Concepcion most of the time when they spoke ... "I see da ball. I heet the ball" LOL

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Originally Posted by JCM11

There are only so many good LHP out there and most of them are at the MLB level. It's why we see a lot of our young hitters including Elly struggle against LHP early on. All the good ones are at the MLB level. I don't think Marte is going to learn how to hit MLB quality LHP in AAA. HE might learn some plate discipline, but at 24 time is running out. H Rod has already shown much improved plate discipline at age 22.

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Marte's chase rate during this stint in AAA should carry just as much weight (if not more) than whatever his actual stat line turns out to be. I image that will be the case.

Marte did not help his cause, but the lack of playing time given to him by Tito is certainly a factor. What's the excuse for the rest of the team not named Sal or Elly? The issues are organizational deep, can putting lipstick on a pig will not change things

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Originally Posted by JCM11

Yeah I think it's time to face reality. We had high hopes for Barrero and CES and to me Marte is another in the same mold as them. He has the physical tools to be a stud, but the lack of plate discipline and in Marte's case lack of baseball instincts is holding him back.

I'm not expecting Hinds to be a savior, but he will make the defense better when he's out there.

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MLB traderumors reporting his chase rate on pitches outside the zone this year is 47.4% which is 6th worst in all of baseball this year among players with at least 30 plate appearances. There in lies his problem. Even the seeing eye single he got this weekend was clearly a ball off the plate. He needs to go fix this in Louisville.

Hinds on the other hand has improved his chase rate in AAA from 37% last year (despite the good AAA production) down to 31% this year. And his walk rate is up and strike out rate is down to 24.6%. Heading in the right direction and maybe maturing as a hitter.

Anyways, Spencer Steer’s bWAR is lower than Marte’s.

Could this be because Spence isn’t speaking proper English?

I think Marte will hit AAA pitching well. He’s too good for AAA pitching. But he unfortunately needs the AAA time to re-set his plate discipline. To get his timing back. And to face some more lefty pitching, which can be a learning curve for a young hitter. Always thought he had good instincts at the plate, but somewhere along the line he developed bad habits.

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Originally Posted by redsfan9988

Anyways, Spencer Steer’s bWAR is lower than Marte’s.

Could this be because Spence isn’t speaking proper English?

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Steer is another subject altogether. We can deconstruct this outfield player by player.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

He started 3 games vs LH starters. 3 games. He started 6 games vs RH starters and he still can't hit a line drive. I'm not hanging my hat on those 3 games screwed him up. He hasn't looked good vs RHPs either. It's the major leagues. He's the only RH hitting right fielder we have. He's going to have to deal with 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games. If he has to be so coddled that he can't handle 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games then he's not worth a darn anyway. 3 starts

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I guess I don't understand why Benson is playing ahead of him against anybody. Benson hasn't hit since April of 2024 against anybody. Benson is past the young developing player stage and we know who he is and that is a guy who doesn't hit enough against RHP, LHP or guys who throw with their feet.

Marte is a young developing player with more upside than anyone on the roster not named Elly.

You know, all these struggles in the first 16 games might just be a slow start to the season. Joey Votto never hit much in April. For Benson, it comes on the heels of two years of not being any good. For Marte it comes on the heels of a decent overall season that ended with month long slump. That's better than a 2 year slump IMO.

I don't think anything is based on 16 games. I do think Marte looks completely lost at the plate. Since we are looking at these uber small sample of 2026, Marte does have a .316 OBP vs RHP in a whopping 19 PAs. He's not an automatic out against them. He's 0 for 12 with a .000 OPS in his 12 PAs vs LHP. 39% of his PAs are against his weaker side.

Meanwhile Benson has a .290 OBP and .587 OPS in 31 PAs vs RHP. He's only been forced into 1 PA vs LHP. Only 3% of his PAs against his weaker side.

Any judgement should be based on prior seasons IMO. Benson has been bad vs RHP 2 years in a row coming onto the season. Marte was 19% above average vs them last year.

I'm ready to send them both down, but I don't really believe that Hinds and Bleday will be any better. Of the entire group, Marte has the most upside by a significant amount, but I think he's got a bit of a head problem. Benson's head is in the right place, but he's a proven failure at this point.

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Originally Posted by Kc61

My hunch -

Reds outfield against RHP will be Friedl LF, Hinds CF, Steer RF.

Against LHP will be Steer LF, Myers CF, Hinds RF.

Benson moves into a pure bench role. Friedl sits v lefties. Hinds plays everyday for now.

To get the third LHH into the lineup, we’ll see Lowe playing instead of Hayes a bit more often.

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Hope so Kc. I'd like to see Lowe playing with Hayes sitting about 3 times a week

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Originally Posted by Kc61

Steer is another subject altogether. We can deconstruct this outfield player by player.

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Yes I’m in favor of this.

Unfortunately, I suspect the torches and pitchforks will be pointed at Hinds by the end of April. It is what it is.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I guess I don't understand why Benson is playing ahead of him against anybody. Benson hasn't hit since April of 2024 against anybody. Benson is past the young developing player stage and we know who he is and that is a guy who doesn't hit enough against RHP, LHP or guys who throw with their feet.

Marte is a young developing player with more upside than anyone on the roster not named Elly.

You know, all these struggles in the first 16 games might just be a slow start to the season. Joey Votto never hit much in April. For Benson, it comes on the heels of two years of not being any good. For Marte it comes on the heels of a decent overall season that ended with month long slump. That's better than a 2 year slump IMO.

I don't think anything is based on 16 games. I do think Marte looks completely lost at the plate. Since we are looking at these uber small sample of 2026, Marte does have a .316 OBP vs RHP in a whopping 19 PAs. He's not an automatic out against them. He's 0 for 12 with a .000 OPS in his 12 PAs vs LHP. 39% of his PAs are against his weaker side.

Meanwhile Benson has a .290 OBP and .587 OPS in 31 PAs vs RHP. He's only been forced into 1 PA vs LHP. Only 3% of his PAs against his weaker side.

Any judgement should be based on prior seasons IMO. Benson has been bad vs RHP 2 years in a row coming onto the season. Marte was 19% above average vs them last year.

I'm ready to send them both down, but I don't really believe that Hinds and Bleday will be any better. Of the entire group, Marte has the most upside by a significant amount, but I think he's got a bit of a head problem. Benson's head is in the right place, but he's a proven failure at this point.

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Could this be more about getting Marte right than anything else? Maybe there is something that the Reds noticed with Marte that they want him to work on. Maybe they are riding him harder than some other players because of his talent.

I don't think its a stretch to say that Marte is the odds on favorite for the RF job over the next couple of years. Giving him a few weeks to "get right" isn't a bad thing.

As for your favorite whipping boy in Benson, he is what he is, a 5th OF type. Giving him regular at bats in AAA and taking them away form someone they think can have a full time role in the near future doesn't make sense.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I guess I don't understand why Benson is playing ahead of him against anybody. Benson hasn't hit since April of 2024 against anybody. Benson is past the young developing player stage and we know who he is and that is a guy who doesn't hit enough against RHP, LHP or guys who throw with their feet.

Marte is a young developing player with more upside than anyone on the roster not named Elly.

You know, all these struggles in the first 16 games might just be a slow start to the season. Joey Votto never hit much in April. For Benson, it comes on the heels of two years of not being any good. For Marte it comes on the heels of a decent overall season that ended with month long slump. That's better than a 2 year slump IMO.

I don't think anything is based on 16 games. I do think Marte looks completely lost at the plate. Since we are looking at these uber small sample of 2026, Marte does have a .316 OBP vs RHP in a whopping 19 PAs. He's not an automatic out against them. He's 0 for 12 with a .000 OPS in his 12 PAs vs LHP. 39% of his PAs are against his weaker side.

Meanwhile Benson has a .290 OBP and .587 OPS in 31 PAs vs RHP. He's only been forced into 1 PA vs LHP. Only 3% of his PAs against his weaker side.

Any judgement should be based on prior seasons IMO. Benson has been bad vs RHP 2 years in a row coming onto the season. Marte was 19% above average vs them last year.

I'm ready to send them both down, but I don't really believe that Hinds and Bleday will be any better. Of the entire group, Marte has the most upside by a significant amount, but I think he's got a bit of a head problem. Benson's head is in the right place, but he's a proven failure at this point.

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Benson’s lifetime numbers against RHP — 920 PAs, .749 OPS, .439 SLG, .310 OBP.

Good power over 920 PAs, low OBP but he bats toward the bottom of the order.

Seems like a perfectly rational decision to give him a try based on those numbers.

I like Abrams as a target, although I'd play him in the OF, defense be darned.

Another target could be Jasson Dominguez. He's dominating this year in AAA, has major league experience, and plays OF. No idea if the Yankees are interested in trading for him.

In my mind, the Reds roster should be:

1b/3b/DH Stewart
2b McLain
SS EDLC
3b/DH Suarez
LF Dominguez/Abrams (trade)
CF Friedl
RF Hinds (for now)
CA Stephenson
DH/1b Lowe

UT Steer
OF Bleday
OF Myers
CA Trevino/Higgins/other

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Originally Posted by Redsfan_83

Marte did not help his cause, but the lack of playing time given to him by Tito is certainly a factor. What's the excuse for the rest of the team not named Sal or Elly? The issues are organizational deep, can putting lipstick on a pig will not change things

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He's got to earn his playing time. He didn't. This isn't on the manager.

Reds option Marte to Triple-A; Hinds to get call (source)

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All expectations entering the season were that Noelvi Marte would be the Reds' regular right fielder and have a chance to thrive on both sides of the game playing a position he only learned midway through 2025.

Instead, Marte couldn't get going at the plate. After Sunday's 9-6 loss to the Angels, Cincinnati optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. A corresponding move was not made, but according to sources, the club is expected to recall outfielder Rece Hinds from Louisville to replace Marte on the 26-man roster.

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