The Cincinnati Reds made an excellent addition in Derek Dietrich, adding a solid utility option to the roster.
Instead of tanking and looking to acquire as high a draft pick as possible, the Cincinnati Reds are going against the grain this offseason. They are looking to contend in 2019, having added the likes of Sonny Gray, Yasiel Puig, and Alex Wood, amongst others, in an effort to fortify the roster. Although the Reds were far from a finished product, they appeared to have enough to contend for the 2019 campaign.
On Monday, they made another addition to improve the depth on the roster. Utility man Derek Dietrich was inked to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Should he make the Reds roster, that contract would be worth over $2 million.
#Reds in agreement with free-agent infielder Derek Dietrich on a minor-league contract, pending a physical. Deal includes invitation to major-league spring training and will be worth $2M+ on the major-league side.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 18, 2019
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Considered by us to be a potential bargain just a couple of days ago, Dietrich certainly could prove that to be the case. Last season, he posted a solid .265/.330/.421 batting line for the Marlins, hitting 16 homers and 26 doubles. He primarily spent last year at first and in left, but also has a great deal of experience at second and third.
The problem is, Dietrich does not exactly play any of these positions well defensively. He has been a negative at second and third, and a complete disaster in left over the course of his career. While he can be slotted at four different positions, first base is the only spot where he has not cost his teams runs.
Of course, that also is the position manned by Joey Votto, who has only two seasons with under 145 games played this decade. The odds that Dietrich would see significant time at first is minimal at best.
However, he can still prove to be a valuable player for the Reds. While Scooter Gennett, Eugenio Suarez, and Jesse Winker are entrenched at second, third, and left respectively, Dietrich could provide each player with a day or two off each week. He may not be a regular in the lineup, but it would not be a surprise to see Dietrich emerge in a super utility role.
The Cincinnati Reds may have a bargain in Derek Dietrich. He could prove to be the perfect utility man for their lineup.