The Reds have claimed second baseman Scooter Gennett off waivers from the Brewers, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports on Twitter. It’s not yet clear what the corresponding 40-man roster move will be.
Gennett, 26, agreed to a $2.525MM contract over the winter to avoid arbitration; that’ll now be the responsibility of his new club. He comes with two more seasons of arb control and also remains optionable.
Milwaukee had utilized Gennett quite frequently over the preceding four seasons, during which he carried a .279/.318/.420 batting line over 1,637 plate appearances. That’s roughly league-average production, though the vast bulk of his time — and his productivity — came against right-handed pitching. Gennett has hit just .187/.237/.254 against southpaws, greatly reducing his function.
While it seems there’s still hope that Gennett can expand his repertoire by learning to move around the diamond, he evidently hadn’t done enough to convince Milwaukee to keep him on the 40-man roster. The club is set to turn over second base to Jonathan Villar, which left Gennett without an obvious role.
The path to playing time isn’t really much more clear in Cincinnati, where the starting jobs are all accounted for. But Gennett could spell righty-hitting infielders Jose Peraza and Eugenio Suarez while perhaps also appearing in the corner outfield at times. Plus, if the organization finds a taker for Zack Cozart, or an injury occurs, it’s possible that Gennett could end up receiving an expanded opportunity.
An odd addition to the organization…
I don’t see it. Maybe Herrera is more injured then we’re being led to believe.
Wut
when was he placed on waivers?
That’s a bizarre – err… I mean interesting – addition this late in the process.
Didn’t the Reds just spend the entire offseason trying to oust Brandon Phillips because they had too many 2nd basemen?
yes but gennett will more then likely be a utility player same with bonifaco
They absolutely did. I’d say I’m starting to wonder if Dick Williams has any idea what he’s doing… but that really wouldn’t be true, since I already know that he doesn’t.
Makes sense, Brewers have higher upside players at 2B/OF for Gennett to get much playing time. Reds or Padres had the first chance at claiming him, didn’t make it far either way.
Steal of the offseason
same with the rays with norris
Put the pipe down Bro..just another vagabond player the Reds dumpster fire of a FO signs!
Hahahaha
lol
Betting they flip him, he still has some kind of trade value, no? Even if its a 19 year old pitcher, that’s called manufacturing a prospect out of nothing.
No trade value. The Brewers were trying to move him somewhere all of 2016.
He was just claimed for nothing. There’s not much trade value there as the Reds will most likely churn the roster again throughout the year. Gennett will probably be a roster casualty as the season progresses.
I would think the acquisition of Gennett, is possibly a precursor to a trade involving Cozart. With Gregorious on the shelf for the next two months, the Reds could work out something with the Yankees.
Peraza takes over full time at SS, Gennett and Herrera split time at 2B.
Yea we’ll give you Castro.
Simply a bench addition. Gennet has plenty of value in that role. Much better then guys that would be lucky to hit their way out of a paper bag.
Except he can really only play second base, and even at that he’s a liability in the field.
Honestly I would have thought he had some trade value, but apparently not if the Brewers put him in waivers: they would have almost had to shop him around first. Gennett always seems to have a good batting average (especially against my Pirates). The issue with him is he doesn’t have much value outside of hitting right-handed pitching very well: no versatility and only an average 2B in the field, no power, doesn’t run especially well, zero power. I could see him becoming an old-school pinch hitter in the Lenny Harris mold down the road.
It’s also interesting because he is from Cincinnati.
As soon as gennett got 2nd base taken away from him, I knew his days as a brewer were numbered. The Brewers will get way more production at 2nd with Villar. Plus better defense. Gennett is just a one trick pony can only play one position
This was an excellent choice by the Brewers. I’d like to see Michael Reed stay on with the Brewers as that xtra outfielder
You were wrong bro
Gennett will crush RHP in that tiny little stadium with a short porch in right. They just found themselves a starting 2B for the next few years