Noelvi Marte’s latest assignment in the Dominican Winter League is telling, and not just because he opened up in center field for Gigantes del Cibao earlier this week.
The former Reds top prospect was out there alongside Aristides Aquino, another familiar name for Cincinnati fans, as Marte kept working through a winter of adjustments. That alone shouldn’t set off alarm bells. Winter League baseball is full of players drifting around the diamond and trying different looks.
But for Marte, the position work does point to something bigger. Cincinnati is still trying to figure out what he can be, and the organization appears willing to keep exploring him in the outfield as it looks ahead to 2027.
That willingness hasn’t come without blunt assessment. At a recent press event, Reds general manager Nick Krall didn’t soften the evaluation.
“Noelvi Marte was bad,” Krall said to Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith on October 1. “We should have sent him down earlier than we did."
Marte’s major league numbers explain why that message landed so sharply. In 63 games with the big club last season, he hit .189/.229/.321. He was expected to provide middle-of-the-order punch for Terry Francona, but instead spent most of the year at Triple-A Louisville.
Even with that rough showing, the Reds don’t appear ready to move on. Marte is still only 24, he has minor league options left, and he remains pre-arbitration eligible. He also put together a strong run with the Louisville Bats, hitting .332/.366/.498 with nine home runs, 42 RBI, and a 125 wRC+ in 66 games.
Giving him center field reps this winter is aggressive, but it makes sense. If he can’t handle the spot, Cincinnati at least gets clarity and can settle him into right field moving forward.
Still, the glove may not be the biggest issue. Marte’s 41.2% chase rate is the number that sticks out, and it’s the one that has to change. No matter where he lines up, his future will depend far more on cutting down the swing-and-miss than on which patch of grass he patrols.
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