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    Watch: Reds prospect Noelvi Marte hits a 461 foot home run in the AFL

    Doug Gray 13

    It’s been a slow start in the Arizona Fall League for many of the Cincinnati Reds prospects this year. That includes infielder Noelvi Marte, who came over to the Reds at the trade deadline in the Luis Castillo trade. Entering Tuesday night’s game, Marte was hitting just .205 and slugging just .282. His lone extra-base hit was a home run. After Matt McLain tripled it was Marte that plated both of them with a loud, long home run.

    The home run for Marte and the triple for McLain were their only hits on the night. Rece Hinds was also in the lineup and he went 1-3. Vin Timpanelli also pitched out of the bullpen, throwing a hitless 8th inning with a walk.

    Down in Mexico it was another good night at the plate for Isiah Gilliam as he tripled, walked, and scored a run for Culiacan in the Tomateros win over Guasave. There was rain that went through much of the Dominican Republic on the night and two of the three games were postponed, including the Licey game – which meant no Reds prospects took the field in the league.

    Let’s take a quick look at how the Reds players are performing in the various fall and winter leagues:

    The Hitters

    Elly De La Cruz and Isiah Gilliam have been getting it done for their respective teams so far. Michael De Leon hasn’t played much but when he’s been given the chance to get on the field he’s taken full advantage of it.

    The Pitchers

    It’s been a tough go of things out in the Arizona Fall League for three of the four pitchers that the Cincinnati Reds sent out there. Sam Benschoter has been the exception and has pitched well for Glendale. Eduardo Salazar is the only other Reds player who has pitched so far in a fall or winter league. He’s been playing with Caribes de Anzoategui in the Venezuelan Winter League. He’s only made one appearance so far, pitching on Sunday in relief and firing 3.0 shutout innings. Dauri Moreta joined the active roster for Licey on Tuesday, but with the game postponed he didn’t get the opportunity to take the mound.

    Doug Gray
    Doug Gray is the owner and operator of this website and has been running it since 2006 in one variation or another.

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    13 Responses

    2. McLain and Marte are still getting their walks though, so that’s good to see.
      Gilliam was fringe for discussion for maybe should he be rule 5 protected, but he might find himself there by the time we get to time to protect. The fact he’s already 26 probably plays against him a little bit, though.

        1. The young man made $720,000 in 2022 can’t imagine money is too big a concern for him. The average salary for the Dominican players is $94,000.

          1. Between 2021 and 2022 he probably made about $1.2M in salary. How much of that he actually was able to put away is a question none of us really have an answer to.

            He did hold out from joining Licey “on time” back in 2019. He’s made a lot more money since that point in time than he did as of November 2019, but he’s probably making a lot more than the “average” salary in the league given that he’s a big leaguer and not a guy in Double-A.

    4. Yikes!!

      Marte went Pro-Magnon Man on that swing. Talk about an ambush. This kid just turned 21.

      So, he’s 6’1″, 187, with a. bit of physical projection left. He’s also looking like he has a move to 3B in his future, in deference to EDLC. A week or so ago, I had Marte comped with Anthony Rendon and David Wright.

      I’m thinking a reasonable projection might be a full or near-full season at AA in 2023 in his age 21 season, then a real opportunity to make a run at the ML’s in early or late 2024 at age 22. And if he needs more time at AA/AAA, 2025 (age 23) would not be too bad.

    5. As far as projecting these guys, am I mistaken thinking that McLain and Marte have stats lines similar to India – K/BB ration 2-1, 15-20 HR power, +100 difference in Avg/OBP. McLain and India notably older since they came up from college, but a team full of those guys just needs a borderline superstar, or excellent pitching. If one of these guys breaks out into all-star level play in 2024 it comes down to the pitching.

      If Marte shines in AA next year, he’s right there for a late season callup like Siani, and an early 2024 move full time.

      1. Baseball America has Marte’s Oct 16, 2001 D.O.B. as Oct 16, 2001. That makes him (just turned) 21 and next year his age 21 season.

    6. The batting average is not an advanced metric, but McClain is starting to look like a big mistake for a #1 draft choice.
      He is not some kid out of high school.
      He is supposed to be (?) at AAA next spring, where he batted a lusty .236 last year in AA ball.
      Marte is 22, and will likely be in AA next Spring. The word is he is transitioning to 3rd base in the AFL.
      More evidence that Aquino should be DFA’d this fall-winter to open a roster spot. He batted crappy last year in winter ball, too.
      Rece Hinds is a pretty good athlete, but still a little bit away from the Majors. I think most of 2022 he was hurt, and is getting in some more playing time and at-bats.

      EDLC, on the other had, is probably ready for the Majors now. I would think he might spend the months of April-May in AAA and then get a call up. Just because of arbitration time, etc. This guy is such a major talent.

      1. There’s no such thing as a “big mistake” in the baseball draft. A majority of 1st round picks are never more than cup of coffee/bad bench players/bad relievers.

        1. Not only that, McLain doesn’t look like a mistake at all. He meets all the analytic standards, and may just be 1/2 season of AAA away if his bat gets to .260-.270.

          India’s last two years in MiLB look very similar to McLain. India had the notable and unreported advance performance at Prasco; McLain needs to duplicate that in AAA and up he goes.

          A better question might be where he stands on the SS depth chart right now?

      2. Baseball America has Marte’s Oct 16, 2001 D.O.B. as Oct 16, 2001. That makes him (just turned) 21 and next year his age 21 season.

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