The Reds have re-signed infielder/outfielder Derek Dietrich to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training, per a team announcement. He’s represented by All Bases Covered Sports Management.
It’s the second straight winter that Dietrich has inked a minors pact with Cincinnati. An injury to then-second baseman Scooter Gennett helped pave the way for him to land a spot on the big league roster last winter, and partway through the season, Dietrich looked to be one of the best minor league pickups in all of MLB. As of that early-June check-in, Dietrich had posted a stout .263/.369/.684 batting line while already establishing a new career-high in home runs through just 157 plate appearances. He was thriving both at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park and on the road, but the now-30-year-old slugger saw his offensive output crater shortly thereafter.
From June 7 through season’s end, Dietrich turned in one of the least-productive lines of anyone in baseball: a .102/.284/.212 slash through 149 plate appearances. He managed to the uptick in walks he enjoyed through the season’s first two months, but the rest of his offensive skill set deteriorated at a rapid rate.
In all, Dietrich is a career .246/.334/.427 hitter with 79 home runs, 106 doubles and 21 triples in 2438 plate appearances between the Marlins and Reds. He has experience playing second base, first base, third base and the outfield corners.
This time around, Dietrich will face a new series of challenges in cracking a bulked up Cincinnati roster. The Reds have added sluggers Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos on four-year deals this winter, and they picked up Japanese star Shogo Akiyama on a three-year pact as well. It’s possible that the injury to Eugenio Suarez will give Dietrich a chance to win a roster spot, however, as the Reds could opt to deploy Moustakas at the hot corner while giving Dietrich a look at second base — if he performs well in Spring Training.
[shrugs]
You still win the first place ribbon
you know im not commenting just to comment, right? the app makes it easy to see a post early.
[colon farrell shrugging gif]
Lol colin*
Deitz needs to spend less time on his Instagram and more on Baseball
Why is that? you seem to be there on Instagram as much as him and yet he has an invite to a MLB camp, Do You?
Haha, niiiice
Wish you could like comments on this app. Because I would like this. I would like it a lot.
what a stupid comment
No harm in this at all. Especially being hurt last year. His career line is better than almost anyone still unsigned.
Surprised he signed with a MLB team before Brock Holt.
Holt should get an MLB deal; this is a minors deal.
Holt, Puig and Dozier need to sign already
Now that you said this, i am SURE they are now motivated to get off their rear end and sign something, anything. and get them something to sign while they are waiting….
I’m starting to think most of Holt’s value is in Boston. Unfortunately the window for his return seems all but closed.
The Diamondbacks had interest in Dozier prior to the Starling Marte trade. Will likely have to find a minor league deal somewhere, could fit in Miami as insurance should Diaz struggle to hit out of the gate.
It seems no one wants Puig. I thought the Red Sox would make sense but they appear to be going with Kevin Pillar. The Tigers have signed Cameron Maybin. The Giants brought back Hunter Pence. And the Indians are supposedly signing Domingo Santana. Heck the Mariners even gave Carlos Gonzalez an invite to camp. I hope Puig learns something from his extended stay in free agency…but I doubt it.
If he’s healthy he can contribute, he’s a good clubhouse guy, low buy no risk and he has some decent numbers as a bench player
Ahh, we can comment about the important signing of Derek but can’t comment about Reese McGuire’s new paid friend he met in Florida
So glad you are standing up for commenting rights, because legal outcomes rest on what your comment and opinion on the matter is. Nice work!
He hits bombs… that’s it.
I think Scooter Gennett would have been a better signing. He’s ripe for a bounce back season if healthy.
So is DD…he had a bad shoulder the entire second half..
No one leans into it better than DD.
No doubt. I think he believes that they’re “free tattoos “.
While I don’t appreciate some of his strutting, I appreciate him taking one in the ribs for the team. Hopefully he’ll be healthy this year.
Dunno about what kind of clubhouse guy he is (I spend my time in retail parking lots with the Blue Jays); he can hit a bit, and while he’s defensively hideous everywhere, he’ll do whatever you want. And he’s a fun guy. Good signing.
He had that 3 home run game against the Pirates, and completley fell off for the rest of the season.
Love this guy1..great locker room presence
Pimpin’
Great news for Reds fans. He’ll now have a full spring training to work on his HR posing and his one minute shuffle around the bases.
Ah yes, the true essence of ‘Let the kids play!’. Baseball just keeps getting better and better…
If I was a young kid playing in the Reds minor leagues or worse, on the cusp, i’d be praying to be traded. You don’t even have to be blocked to be blocked with this team.
Remember when Reds fans said Dietrich was the reason they would not trade for a 2B?
Nope
WATCH EM FLY!
See the fish!
Be the fish
Glad to hear this. Fun guy to have in the clubhouse. Maybe best option at Second Base while Moustakas fills in at Third base for Eugeino Suarez.
He played most of the season with a bad shoulder and thumb from getting hit by pitches. If he is healthy he is a good addition.
I agree. If he was healthy all season, he’d be the starting 2nd basemen going into this season.
Great signing
I’d rather this was Scooter Gennett than Dietrich
Really-I like Dietrich but if he makes the team a lot of better players must be hurt. Iwas wondering about Scooter as well. The reds did not do very much for him after his injury and that was a shame, Hard to say though-maybe he is now toast. Sad if so.
Now
I’m surprised he could hit 30 homers and no one signed him
I love this guy! I think this is one of the better lottery tickets in the league this year!
If they’re gonna bring someone back it should have been Scooter!
The A’s had interest in Jason Kipnis before he signed with the Cubs, so they could pivot to Gennett. Scooter could be an interesting buy low for the Orioles, who have Hanser Alberto penciled in at 2B at the moment.
Well he’s good for 10 homers against the Pirates alone
LOL
we still dont have a real backup shortstop.