Cincinnati Reds Call Up Top Infield Prospect Noelvi Marte to Make MLB Debut
The Cincinnati Reds' well of elite infield prospects hasn't dried up just yet.
According to reports from ESPN and FanSided, the Reds are calling up shortstop and third baseman Noelvi Marte to make his major league debut Saturday. Marte is currently rated as Cincinnati's No. 1 prospect and the No. 24 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline.
Marte was one of the four prospects the Reds acquired when they traded All-Star pitcher Luis Castillo to the Seattle Mariners at the 2022 trade deadline.
The 6-foot, 216-pound infielder has grades of 60 power, 55 arm, 55 run, 50 hit and 50 field from MLB Pipeline.
After starting the season with Double-A Chattanooga, Marte got promoted to Triple-A Louisville in June and put up a nearly identical slash line. Marte was batting .279 with 11 home runs, 45 RBI, 18 stolen bases an .812 OPS across 92 games in the minors this year.
Marte spent spring training with the Reds in the Cactus League, hitting .310 with three RBI, three runs and a strikeout. At the MLB Futures Game in July, Marte went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, a run and a stolen base.
The Reds are now adding another member to their exciting 2023 rookie class, which already included Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Will Benson, Andrew Abbot and Brandon Williamson. Marte has joined the roster late enough in the season where he may still have his rookie eligibility heading into 2024, though, unless he cracks 130 at-bats in the next 39 games.
The infield has become crowded this summer as a result of all the fresh talent, especially with legendary first baseman Joey Votto returning from injury and 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India holding strong at second base. However, India is currently on the injured list with left foot plantar fascitis, opening up room for the rookies to get more action in the meantime.
Marte is a shortstop by trade, but started playing more third base in 2023.
Cincinnati is 64-59 this season, which puts them 2.0 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central. The Reds remain tied with the Miami Marlins for the third and final NL Wild Card spot with just over a month left in the season.
The Reds have yet to officially announce the Marte move or submit their lineup for Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch from Cincinnati is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.
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