Nick Senzel saw his 2022 season cut a little short after fracturing a toe in his left foot in September. The injury cost him the final couple weeks of the year and lingered into the offseason, as it didn’t heal as anticipated. Senzel underwent surgery to correct the issue in the middle of November. Initial reports suggested that wasn’t expected to affect his readiness for Spring Training, though it’s not clear whether that’s still the case.
Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Senzel has spent most of the offseason in a walking boot and suggests it’s now undermined when he’ll be a full-go for exhibition action. There’s still no indication the start of the regular season is in jeopardy. Nevertheless, it’s certainly not an ideal lead-up to what’s shaping up to be a pivotal year for the 27-year-old.
Senzel was the second overall pick in the 2016 draft. He predictably appeared among the game’s top prospect rankings in the intervening two years before making his MLB debut in 2019. Regarded by many evaluators as an advanced hitter who could play above-average defense at second or third base, Senzel has yet to tap into that upside at the major league level.
He’s posted below-average offensive numbers in all four of his MLB seasons, combining for a career line of .240/.303/.360 in a little more than 1000 plate appearances. Senzel also quickly moved off the infield and has spent the vast majority of his innings in center field. Statcast has generally rated him as an average defender there; Defensive Runs Saved, on the other hand, has panned his outfield work.
Regardless of his defensive acumen, Senzel will need to do more at the plate if he’s to continue garnering everyday playing time. The Reds seem prepared to give him that opportunity. Manager David Bell told reporters last month he’s likely to get the first crack in center field (Nightengale link). Cincinnati brass has expressed some openness to moving him around the diamond a little more during the upcoming season, though the Reds have a number of interesting infielders who are at or nearing the MLB level. The outfield outlook is less certain, with players like Nick Solak, Jake Fraley, TJ Friedl, Stuart Fairchild and Michael Siani joining Senzel on the 40-man roster.
It looks like a potential make-or-break season for Senzel, who has now surpassed three years of MLB service time. He and the club settled on a $1.95MM salary to avoid arbitration this winter. He’ll be eligible for that process twice more before reaching free agency after the 2025 season. That gives the Reds a bit of long-term contractual upside if he takes the step forward the organization has long envisioned, though another below-average showing would likely make him a non-tender candidate next winter.
Nick Senzel’s “injury rehab”: I feel like you might have to be more specific than that.
Thankfully it’s his left foot’s toe; imagine if it was his right’s instead!
In his left foot? Shouldn’t it be “on his left foot”? Its true bones are obviously “in” rather than out..but it doesn’t sound right. Toes are on the foot not in the foot. I have no idea which is correct but you be damn sure I am going bring up this debate next time my friends and I are hammered at the bar ( in the bar?..jfc I don’t know how to speak anymore lol)
They should have addressed it so it didn’t matter.
Time to move on from Senzel
The Reds ruined him by moving him to the outfield. Just another casualty of the ill-advised Moustakas signing.
You think he sucks because he moved to the outfield. Weird, did Eric Davis suck because he was moved there? Not sure why that matters because that happens to a metric ton of players
Several of his injuries have been a result of plays on the OF (diving at full speed, running into a wall, etc.) Injuries that more than likely wouldn’t have happened if he had been playing INF.
It’s hypothetical, he may have gotten injured no matter what. But you have to wonder if he would have been available more, and not had his development hampered, by staying at 3B.
@Random If you are looking for an excuse for his missed time, sure. What about the 1000 PAs he had when he was healthy, when he was just bad?
So you don’t think going back and forth in the IL for extended periods of time, basically ever since he made it to The Show, affected his ability to hit major league pitching? Interesting.
Over a short sample size possibly, Over 1000 PAs with extended periods of health, no.
I don’t think he sucks at all. But I do think that trying to make someone play out of position while also trying to learn how to hit major league pitching is just asinine. Hitting major league pitching is one of the hardest things to do in sports. Trying to learn a new defensive position at the same time only adds to the difficulty. It’s not as big a deal to change position after you are established as a big league hitter, but to do both at the same time is just bad planning.
Senzel was established enough- he absolutely destroyed college and minor league pitching. Dude has vertigo. That’s what happened to him. Has nothing to do w moving to outfield or running into walls and everything to do w balance and hand/eye coordination that he lost w the vertigo diagnosis.
College pitching and minor league pitching is not major league pitching. That’s like saying a kid should be immediately good at advanced calculus just because they aced 6th grade math. Sure there is a good chance he will be good at it eventually, but it takes a lot of work.
Time to move on from Senzel he’s not a good investment
Will be remembered as the worst draft pick in team history.
Huh ? Reds missing out on a slew of 2020 talent was way worse than senzel. Who would u have wanted them to draft ?
Not even close. Reds worst pick begins and ends with Chris Gruler. Taken 3rd overall, 3 picks ahead of Zack Greinke, never made it out of low A ball.
That is the worst outfield I have ever seen on a roster.
Bell says Senzel will get the first look…. With zero competition.
His injury rehab is lifelong.
That’s right. You do not ever fully recover from vertigo
I think people forgot about that condition he has.
The 2016 MLB draft was dreadful. It has to be the most talent-lacking draft ever.
Pete Alonso, Jesus Luzardo, Bo Bichette, Dustin May, Zac Gallen, Corbin Burnes, Sean Murphy, and Shane Bieber would all disagree.
Your list starts with the 64th selection. Above that pretty pathetic, except Lux and Reynolds. The 1st round compared to any other year’s 1st round is abysmal. Same with overall draft.
Anthony, Oh and Wil Myers.
Just another miserable draft pick for the Reds. This guy was taken #2 overall.
who cares cut his ass!
“(I)t’s now undermined…”
I do not think that word means what he thinks it means.