Reds' Noelvi Marte is Quietly Making Necessary Changes in Triple-A

The Cincinnati Reds came into the season with high hopes for young outfielder Noelvi Marte, but he got off to a horrendous start in right field.

Through 29 at-bats, Marte had four hits, all singles, with 10 strikeouts. To make matters worse, he was chasing at a 47.4 percent rate, which ranked him near the bottom of the league. He was getting a lot of strikes, but he wasn't swinging at the right pitches to hit, so a lot of his at-bats were uncompetitive. As a result, the Reds sent him to Triple-A to work on his approach.

“The only thing I’m working on is pitches that I want to swing at,” Marte said on Wednesday, via interpreter Peterson Plaz. “If I’m able to do that, everything is going to play out.”

At the Triple-A level, Marte is slashing .365/.426/.521 with three home runs, a triple, and four doubles while averaging over 90 miles per hour with his exit velocity.

Noelvi Marte Has Made Some Progress in Triple-A

Apr 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte (4) scores a run on a wild pitch by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Chase Silseth in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Marte has improved his approach a bit at the Triple-A level, as he's only chasing at a 31 percent rate. This is still concerning, though, as the level of pitching is much worse in Triple-A, so a chase rate higher than 25 percent isn't the most encouraging outcome for the young outfielder.

Still, there are obvious improvements at the plate, even if he's not a finished product yet.

“He has changed his approach a bit,” Triple-A manager Pat Kelly said, via Reds reporter Charlie Goldsmith. “Better balance at the plate. He’s seeing the ball better, this series not so much, but in previous series. He has played hard. I think he enjoys playing center field. He’s much more aggressive defensively and aggressive on the bases. I see him run a lot of balls out. I like the hustle.”

Marte's improvement as a teammate and with his effort might be the most overlooked aspect this season. There were question marks from some in the media that Marte didn't have the work ethic that other players on the team did. So far this spring, he's proving that narrative to be false.

“Everything that’s been happening is because of consistency,” Marte said. “I’m thankful for for the consistency I have, the playing time I have right now, that’s what it comes to. When I have that consistency and show what I can do every day, that’s what’s going to happen.”

If Marte can find a consistent approach at the plate, the Reds will be in a much better spot than they are right now. Marte has the potential to be a top-of-the-lineup bat and starting outfielder for the Reds if he can put all the pieces together.

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