Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Senzel is starting the 2023 season on the injured list as an offseason toe surgery delayed his start to spring training. It was expected that he would be taking over the regular center field job in Cincinnati once healthy, but he might transition into more of a utility role. Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the club is preparing him to serve in such a role and he could play third base and the corner outfield positions during his rehab.
Senzel, 28 in June, has a very small amount of third base experience in the big leagues, with 32 innings over the past two seasons. He has a slightly large tally of 49 innings at second base but over 2,000 innings in center field. Switching things up while also trying to get ready for the season will be a challenge, but it’s understandable why the club would want him to try. He’s hit just .240/.303/.360 in his career so far for a wRC+ of 74. That production isn’t great for a lineup regular but would be more palatable for a multi-positional role player.
2023 is seen by some as a make-or-break year for Senzel, as he’s now into his arbitration years and is making a $1.95M salary. Despite his tepid production so far, he’s continued to get chances based on the fact that he was once one of the top prospects in the league. Baseball America had him in the top 10 of all MLB prospects for three straight years beginning in 2017. He could be retained via arbitration through 2025, though he’ll have to show the club he’s worth the continued investment. Taking a step forward at the plate would be great but he may also add more defensive versatility this year.
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