Cincinnati Reds: Three shortstop options for the 2021 season
The Cincinnati Reds need to upgrade the shortstop position for 2021, but how will they do so?
The Cincinnati Reds ranked 27th among 30 major league ballclubs in 2020 in terms of combined Wins Above Replacement value at the shortstop position (0.1 fWAR). It isn’t the only upgrade the front office needs to focus on, but it is at or very near the top of the list.
Freddy Galvis received the majority of starts at shortstop this season (33) and hit the ball as well one can expect out of Freddy Galvis, but his once-reliable glove didn’t show up. Galvis ranked 34th among all shortstops with -3 Outs Above Average. This after recording 23 OAA over his last two seasons.
Cincinnati also used Kyle Farmer and Jose Garcia, but the Reds may get more value as using Farmer as a super-utility type player who can play just about every position on the field, and Garcia, while still promising, is likely ticketed for some more seasoning in the minor leagues in 2021 before returning to the majors.
How should the Cincinnati Reds address the shortstop position for 2021? The answer isn’t very clear-cut, but there will be a few notable options available.
The Reds have nine arbitration-eligible players, including starting pitcher Luis Castillo, which could command a decent combined chunk of money, pending any non-tenders, and their Cy Young candidate, Trevor Bauer, is a free agent. If the Reds want him back in Cincinnati, it’s going to take a pretty hefty contract.
With finances limited and an extremely attractive shortstop free agent class not coming around for another year, here are three options for the Cincinnati Reds in 2021.
In-house shortstop options for the Cincinnati Reds.
The first option for the Cincinnati Reds is to stick with who they have, avoid spending big in the upcoming market, and bring in someone via waiver claim or low-cost/minor league signing.
This isn’t the most attractive option, but with names like Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, Trevor Story, and others possibly on the market next offseason, saving the money now could come in handy later.
Farmer played well in his 32 games this season, hitting .266 with a 329 OBP, and playing better defensively than Galvis. The Reds also still have former first-round pick Alex Blandino who can play a decent shortstop. He owns a .238/.349/.305 career slash with an 11.7% walk rate in 92 career major league games.
The Reds can also mix in Alfredo Rodriguez, a former highly-regarded international prospect who is now 26 and has a glove that can handle the shortstop position, but a bat that lags behind.
Perhaps some combination of these three options can play well in short stints until Jose Garcia has had a few months in the minor leagues. Garcia has hit well in the lower levels of the minor leagues, but hadn’t seen a pitch above High-A before playing 24 games at the major league level this season.
If the Cincinnati Reds are high on giving Garcia the chance to take over shortstop duties full-time, they won’t have to spend big money on a stopgap option.
An international option for the Cincinnati Reds.
What if the Cincinnati Reds do decide to spend a bit of money in free agency? There are a few options available, many of whom are 30+ years old and fit the mold of a stopgap option, but what about a longer-term investment?
Even if the Reds believe in Garcia, you can never have too much talent in your organization. Hence why, putting their name in the ring for Ha-Seong Kim wouldn’t be a terrible idea.
Baseball America pegged Ha-Seong Kim as the top KBO prospect entering the 2020 season, believing he is without a doubt a Top 100 MLB prospect once he comes to the United States. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel believes he is a Top 10 free agent target once the offseason begins.
The 25-year-old shortstop is a plus-defender who has greatly impressed with his bat over his last six full seasons in the KBO. In his last two seasons, he has 61 doubles, 37 home runs, and an OPS of .880 and .932 in 2019 and 2020.
The power numbers have been consistent throughout Ha-Seong Kim’s career, his strikeout rate has improved over the years, sitting around 10-11% this season, and if he can successfully make the switch to Major League Baseball, the Reds have their long-term option at shortstop.
What makes KBO players more exciting as they attempt to transition to baseball here in the States, American fans are a bit more familiar with these players and their playing style, thanks to ESPN picking up the KBO season this summer. Ha-Seong Kim is going to be a hot commodity this offseason and it’s unclear how much the Cincinnati Reds will spend this offseason, but a team like Cincinnati should be major suitors, once he’s available.
This free agent option could make the most sense for the Cincinnati Reds.
What about the diving into the crop of upcoming MLB free agent options? Andrelton Simmons is the top defensive option and while his bat has been at or below league average recently, his premier glove will surely make him in high demand for a contending team.
Formerly with the Reds, Didi Gregorius will also be available, after signing a one-year deal with Philadelphia last offseason. Gregorius is clearly healthy again (116 wRC+, 10 HR, career-low 11.8% strikeout rate). He’s going to get a lot more than a one-year/$14 million deal this year and may be a bit outside of Cincinnati’s price range.
The other bigger name available is Marcus Semien. Semien seems to be the best fit, among these three particular options.
Semien finished third in MVP voting in 2019 and was worth 7.6 fWAR while recording 83 extra-base hits (33 HR) and an .892 OPS across 162 games. His 2020 numbers were a far cry from 2019 as Semien hit just .223 with a .679 OPS in 53 games. He did, however, finish the season on a high note, hitting .407 with two home runs and two walks to one strikeout in seven postseason games.
Semien won’t be forced to take a one-year “prove-it” deal this offseason, but his down 2020 campaign certainly isn’t a big selling point for him. A contract with an early opt-out is an option here, which gives Semien the ability to seek out a bigger deal if he finds his 2019 form again.
At 30 years of age, Semien isn’t a long-term option, but he can be a solid short-term option with an impressive glove.
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The Cincinnati Reds have a few different routes they can take and a number of options who would be an upgrade over their 2020 product. But how much is the organization willing to spend? We will find that out shortly.