The Reds announced that infielder/outfielder Ryan Vilade has been claimed off waivers from the Cardinals, and Vilade was optioned to Triple-A. To create roster space, Cincinnati designated outfielder Jacob Hurtubise for assignment.
St. Louis designated Vilade two days ago, after Vilade had appeared in seven games during a brief stint on the Cards’ roster. Signed to a minor league contract in December, Vilade hit an impressive .280/.375/.476 over 192 plate appearances with Triple-A Memphis to earn a selection to the Cardinals’ active roster at the end of May, though he had only one hit in 15 PA on the Cards’ active roster.
To some extent, this has been the story of Vilade’s pro career, as he had a .141/.200/.188 slash line in 71 PA over 27 career games in the majors with the Rockies, Tigers, and Cardinals. His career .272/.353/.406 slash in 2093 Triple-A appearances is much more impressive, yet it hasn’t stood out quite enough for Vilade to get much in the way of regular playing time in the Show, nor has he hit anywhere near well enough to capitalize on his small sample.
While Vilade has played only as an outfielder and in one single game as a first baseman in the majors, he has some experience at all four infield positions, including time as a first, second, and third baseman with Memphis this year. This expanded defensive repertoire seems like a logical way for Vilade to improve his usefulness to big league teams, and it might help him earn some bench time on a Reds team that is somewhat unsettled in teams of everyday regulars. In particular, Vilade’s right-handed bat might help him become a complement within a Reds outfield overloaded with left-handed hitters.
That crowded outfield may have factored into the limited playing time that Hurtubise received in his first two MLB seasons, though the left-handed hitter has batted only .167/.291/.212 over 83 PA in the bigs. This season, he made the Reds’ Opening Day roster but didn’t last long before being optioned, and then briefly returned to the majors in May.
An undrafted free agent for the Reds in 2020 (the year of the pandemic-shortened five-round draft), Hurtubise reached Triple-A for the first time in 2023, but his numbers at Cincinnati’s top affiliate have gone steadily downward over the last three years. He has hit just .144/.336/.186 in 133 PA in Louisville this season, making him an expendable piece on the Reds’ 40-man roster despite some tremendous speed and base-stealing ability (124 steals in 147 chances in his minor league career). Hurtubise can’t reject an outright assignment, so he would remain in the Reds’ organization if he clears waivers.
I heard Jacob Hurtubise was so fast, he once made a diving catch to end the inning, bolted to the dugout, grabbed his bat, and ripped a triple before his own teammates had even cleared the field.
Pin the tail on the donkey move. Blindfold, spin, and hope for the best. Small market baseball.
Villade has all of 64 big league at bats. Perhaps he never amounts to anything but let’s not act like those 64 at bats are the reason why. Some guys get more opportunities than others.
Hard to tell, some guys figure major league pitching out immediately after promoted, some take longer and some are never able to do so.
Hutubise is a lhh outfielder with no power. Behind Friedl, Fraley, Benson, and probably HRod. Villade may be stashed in Louisville and then run through waivers later.No biggy. Slight upgrade.
Another infielder, just what they need.
Amazing, simply amazing.
He is an outfielder. Not an infielder.
Read the article. Another infielder they threw in the outfield.