Noelvi Marte DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Cincinnati Reds optioned infielder Noelvi Marte to Triple-A Louisville on Monday, according to the team. In addition to Marte, the Reds optioned infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan, outfielder Rece Hinds and right-handers Connor Phillips and Yosver Zulueta to Louisville and reassigned infielder Sal Stewart to minor-league camp. Marte, 23, is the biggest name of the bunch, although he should be up with the Reds sooner than later in 2025. The 23-year-old Dominican infielder served an 80-game suspension last year for performance-enhancing drugs and then hit a disappointing .210/.248/.301 with four home runs, 18 RBI, nine steals and 24 runs scored in 66 games upon his return. In 11 spring training games, he went 3-for-20 with no homers, three RBI and eight strikeouts. The former top prospect still has an intriguing power/speed profile, but for now he'll head to the minors to hopefully regain some confidence at the plate.

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Noelvi Marte could open the 2025 season in the minor leagues. After acquiring Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Marte could be without a permanent spot in the lineup. The 23-year-old missed the first 80 games of the 2024 season due to a performance enhancing drug suspension and struggled in his return. Across 66 games, the infielder held an underwhelming .210/.248/.301 line with just four home runs and nine stolen bases. However, in his short 35-game stint in the majors in 2023, Marte showcased high upside with a .316/.366/.456 line and three home runs and six stolen bases. Wittenmyer noted that his performance in Spring Training will be crucial in determine his role during the start of the season. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his performance as he could continue to fall on draft boards if his struggles continue to linger.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte will start on the bench for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Santiago Espinal will start at the hot corner and will bat eighth against Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon. In 13 career at-bats against Taillon, Espinal has hit .231 with a .462 OPS. Marte has been a regular for the Reds at either third base or designated hitter down the stretch and has hit .240 (12-for-50) with two doubles, four RBI, four walks, 18 strikeouts and three stolen bases in 15 games in the month of September. Overall, 2024 has been a disappointment for the 22-year-old Dominican after opening the year serving a suspension. He's managed to hit just .212/.251/.306 with four long balls, 18 RBI and nine stolen bases in 222 at-bats. Espinal will be a low-upside DFS sleeper at the bottom of Cincy's batting order.