CINCINNATI — As the Reds look for places to add offense this offseason, one position might have been figured out for them back in late July. That’s when Noelvi Marte was moved by the club from third base to an entirely new position, right field.
Because he isn’t fully established in the big leagues yet, Marte will still need to earn his roster spot in Spring Training in 2026. But pending the club’s offseason moves, the 24-year-old would appear to have an inside track to be Cincinnati’s everyday right fielder.
“Making the move to the outfield when he had never done it before, on the fly in the big leagues, is a really big ask,” general manager Brad Meador said. “And you saw him continue to improve being out there. He needs to have a good offseason as well. He needs to continue to improve, and he will.”
Following his Major League debut on Aug. 19, 2023, Marte was impressive while batting .316 with an .822 OPS in 35 games that season. The ‘24 season went south after he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Upon his return, Marte batted .210 with a .549 OPS and four homers in 66 games, and he committed 12 errors in 55 games (53 starts) at third base.
Marte opened 2025 at Triple-A Louisville, but he impressed manager Terry Francona with his work ethic during camp. He hit well after his promotion, but he missed two months on the injured list from May 5-July 4 with a left oblique strain.
The defensive struggles at third base continued throughout. The club had Marte work out in right field at Citi Field in New York right after the All-Star break, and it gave him his first start there on July 20.
When Gold Glove Award winner Ke’Bryan Hayes was acquired in a trade from the Pirates on July 30 to improve the infield defense, Marte’s move to right field became permanent.
The first month after the switch saw Marte blossom offensively and defensively. He batted .297 with an .865 OPS and five homers over 26 games in August – including an 11-game hitting streak. Defensively, he wasn’t perfect, but he showed good instincts at a new position and often made some nifty plays.
Marte felt less pressure in the field, and that transferred to all parts of his game.
“Absolutely, yeah,” Marte said via translator Tomas Vera on Aug. 10. “The pressure is going down. Because when you’re in the infield, you have to be attentive to everything in all the anticipation of the plays. I’ve got to grab the ball, step and throw or get it and cut the ball and play for the double play. So there’s a bunch of stuff that you have to do, pre-setting in the infield. When you’re in the outfield, you have to just catch the ball.”
Marte did struggle at the plate over the final month, but his overall season and perseverance gave the Reds encouragement. In 90 games, he batted .263 with a .748 OPS, 14 homers and 51 RBIs.
“I think he feels a lot more comfortable in right field than he did at third base,” Meador said. “I think hopefully, that will show at the plate as well.”
This offseason, Marte planned to play right field in winter ball while home in the Dominican Republic.
“I think that would be good for him,” Meador said.
If the Reds are bullish that Marte can put it all together over a full 2026 season in right field, it could give them one less need to fill this winter.
