The Reds announced that they have selected the contract of Nick Senzel, making the promotion of one of baseball’s premier prospects official. Senzel will join the active roster in place of right-hander Matthew Bowman, who has been optioned to Triple-A Louisville. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati transferred Scooter Gennett from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Senzel is in today’s lineup, batting second.
There’s been a sense that this move was coming since earlier in the week when MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported the possibility, which has built a steady sense of anticipation among Reds fans in recent days. Senzel, the No. 2 overall pick in 2016, entered the season ranked as one of the top 10 overall prospects in baseball and has sufficiently recovered from the late-March ankle injury that sidelined him. He’s not off to a blistering start in Triple-A by any means, hitting .257/.316/.371, but he’s generally been viewed as an MLB-ready bat despite that tiny eight-game sample.
Drafted as an infielder, he’s moved to the outfield in order to fast-track his arrival on the MLB roster, and he should step directly into the Reds’ everyday center field role, hopefully jump-starting what has been a stagnant offensive unit of outfielders. Scouting reports on Senzel laud his potential for above-average tool across the board, including a 65- or even 70-grade hit tool. He’s walked at a solid clip throughout his minor league career and has never had a major issue with strikeouts over a large sample, suggesting that he has the discipline to complement that hit tool and serve as a middle-of-the-order bat for years to come.
A career .312/.388/.508 hitter with 28 homers and 40 steals in 239 minor league games, Senzel should provide an upgrade over Scott Schebler in center, as the 28-year-old Schebler has slumped to a woeful .127/.258/.228 slash to open the season. There will be some growing pains on the defensive side of things, as Senzel only began playing the outfield in game settings this spring and has been sidelined for a bit this year. He was originally slated to get his feet wet in center field during the Arizona Fall League last year, but he instead required surgery to remove a pair of bone spurs from his left (non-throwing) elbow. That capped off a frustrating, injury-filled year for Senzel, who also missed time due to vertigo symptoms and a fractured finger.
The Reds has already reassigned Senzel to minor league camp when he incurred the aforementioned ankle injury, meaning he was destined for Triple-A to start the year. However, the ankle issue sidelined him long enough that there was never any question about whether he’d accrue enough service time in 2019 to reach free agency as quickly as possible. Senzel can’t earn more than 151 days of MLB service in 2019, meaning the Reds effectively control him for seven years rather than six. Assuming he’s in the big leagues for good, Senzel will be arbitration-eligible as a Super Two player following the 2021 season and won’t be a free agent until the 2025-26 offseason.
It remains to be seen just how the Senzel promotion will impact playing time for the rest of the Reds’ outfielders. Jesse Winker is the only one of the incumbent bunch who has been at all productive to this point in the season (.224/.315/.490), while each of Schebler, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig has struggled. Puig still figures to see the lion’s share of at-bats in right field, given his age and track record, which could largely relegate Kemp and Schebler to pinch-hitting and occasional starts based on platoon matchups.
Welcome to Rapture Day! The Savior has arrived!
I hope they send Scott Schebler down to AAA. He has been HORRIBLE and I am a Schebler fan. He needs to figure things out somewhere else (AAA).
They have about 1% chance of playoffs next few years. Bring up the youngsters and let them play.
I’d guess they’re hoping bringing him up has a double benefit – playing time in MLB, of course, and maybe letting underperforming vets know that nobody is safe.
Despite the start to the season, this offense is pretty solid. With their pitchers under contract for 2020 and beyond, they have a solid core. I am not sure that 1% chance is accurate beyond this season with the rough start.
1% is just pure nonsense. They are good enough to make the playoffs. Their pitching has been fantastic, and eventually, the offense should be even better.
Will they make the playoffs? Maybe not. But to say the chance is 1% is pathetic. If you don’t like the Reds, just say so.
It’s actually 5.6%. Which still makes them crap
Kemp will be dealt, right? Reds will eat a lot of the $$.
He’ll be dropped.
Dropped to a AL team.. probably a terrible AL team.
What should they expect to get for a guy with a .500 OPS, awful defense, and a $21 million contract?
We’re in a new era of superstars, man I love baseball
I was dying for Senzel to drop to ATL in the draft. Don’t wish many Volunteers well, but I hope he sends many into the seats.
No, we are in a new era of anointing superstars before they ever do anything to earn the status. But I love baseball too.
Any chance the writers can link the highlighted players scouting report in the articles?
You could have googled 10 different scouting reports in the time it took you to type that.
Nope. I tried. Only two, And I type fassssssst.
I was hoping Gennett would return soon. I guess he’s out the season?
Moving Gennett to the 60-day IL doesn’t impact his timeline. It’s not 60 days from now — it just ups the minimum stay on the IL for him from 10 to 60 days. He’s already nearly 40 days into his IL stint.
The initial projection on him was 8-12 weeks, so it’s not a surprise to see him moved to the 60.
So why wasn’t he on the 60-day DL in the first place? Sorry if that’s a stupid question.
No reason to put him there until they need the 40-man spot. Pretty much no team moves a guy to the 60-day until they need the 40-man spot for a corresponding move.
They probably didn’t need the 40 man roster spot until now. I don’t think you can put someone on the 60 day unless you’re adding someone else to take his 40 man spot.
FO’s try to hold back spots on the 60 in case a move needs to be made. Such as adding a player to the 40/25 man rosters, via trade or promotion. A player can remain on the 10 day IL well past the 10 days.
Getting Kemp and Puig was the price the Reds paid for dumping Homer Bailey’s contract. I doubt if the Reds were ever excited about either of those two and doubt if either will still be a Red by beginning of next season.
I think the Reds try to move Puig mid season.
Nobody wants Puig.
how the Reds OF became just as pitiful as it is is beyond me. This is certianly a well-needed boost.
Puig and Winker are severely underperforming compared to their peripherals so you’d have to believe they will start producing. Winker has a . 200 BABIP right now. Those 2 plus Senzel should receive the bulk of playing time for the rest of the season
I hope Nick can stay healthy, it seems like he’s had his fair share of setbacks. Best wishes.