Phillies trade former first-rounder Kyle Holder to Reds for cash

The Reds are acquiring shortstop Kyle Holder in a trade with the Phillies, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.  Both teams have officially announced the trade, with cash considerations heading to the Phillies in return.  The move will free up a space on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster, so the Phils’ signing of Didi Gregorius could soon be officially announced.

The Yankees selected Holder with the 30th overall pick of the 2015 draft, and he proceeded to hit .264/.317/.350 over 1,744 PA in New York’s farm system.  Holder then moved to the Phillies as a selection in December’s Rule 5 Draft, and as per Rule 5 stipulations, Holder will now have to remain on Cincinnati’s active roster for the entire season, or else the Reds will have to offer him back to the Yankees.

With Gregorius back in the fold, Holder was an expendable part in Philadelphia, but he could potentially play a larger role for the Reds.  Given Cincinnati’s lack of shortstop depth, in fact, Holder might even be in line for some action in the starting lineup, unless the Reds add a more established infielder between now and Opening Day.  To that end, MLB.com’s Jon Heyman adds that the Reds are still hoping to acquire Amed Rosario from the Indians, after reports linked Cincinnati to Rosario earlier this week.

While Holder hasn’t hit much in the minors and he has yet to play even Triple-A ball, he is a well-regarded defender whose glove may already be big league-caliber.  Holder has played mostly shortstop in the minors but has also seen time at second and third base, so he could serve as a valuable utility asset on the Reds’ bench.