Sorting Out the Cincinnati Reds’ Third Base Options
The Cincinnati Reds could go in several directions at third base. Which option makes the most sense to fill the hot corner in 2025?
Since Eugenio Suárez’s departure after the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Reds have struggled to find a consistent third baseman.
After cycling through stop gaps and failed prospects, Cincinnati signed Jeimer Candelario last winter to solidify the position. Yet, here we are a year later still wondering who will be the Reds’ third baseman.
Despite a collection of negative WAR players at third last season, the front office did not go out and acquire a traditional third baseman to solve their problem. Instead, they opted for Gavin Lux. Considering how thin the free agent options were at third, I understand the front office’s pivot toward a utility man.
Plus, the Reds have talent in the crop of third base options already. Do they have a bona fide All-Star? No. But, they have several options that could put up above-average numbers. It’s far from an ideal situation, but it’s not quite dire.
With a competition as open as this one, every little bit of information matters. Keep in mind, the Reds’ new manager, Terry Francona, will value the batting order and players differently than in years past. We need to re-train our minds to adjust to Francona’s expectations and tendencies.
What We Know So Far
Last week, Terry Francona appeared on the Chatterbox Sports show Dialed In (I highly suggest watching) and provided key information relevant to this discussion.
If you haven’t caught on, Francona has a healthy blend of old-school beliefs with new-school acceptance. In the interview, Francona emphasized the importance of defense and running the bases.
Well, I have bad news for you, Terry. The team does not have a great defensive option at third. However, Santiago Espinal has graded out around average at third, specifically, and offers a skillset Francona values. Francona mentioned how great of a contact hitter Espinal is and that “they will find ways to get him in the game because he can help them win.“
Now, to clarify, Francona talked about Espinal as part of his answer explaining how Lux will be used as a utility option, and that Lux and Espinal are both getting time in the outfield.
We’ll see how much Francona is willing to sacrifice defense for offense, or vice versa. Lux has a total of six innings logged at third as a major leaguer, and considering his defensive limitations and weak throwing arm, I tend to think third will not be the biggest part of Lux’s playing time.
I envision Lux being a high-end utility/bench option that is used in a multitude of ways as opposed to him “winning” the third base job at any point.
So, that leaves Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Candelario as the remaining options.
Encarnacion-Strand is looking more and more like a first base/DH option, as he’s logged 11 games at first and only three innings at third this spring. Candelario has split time at first, third, and DH during spring training but has played the majority of his career at the hot corner.
Lastly, we cannot forget about Noelvi Marte. We all know how disastrous last season was, and he has already been sent to minor league camp. The former top prospect needs a hard reset and an opportunity to clean up some fundamentals and earn his way back on the roster.
That being said, the Reds will need him at some point this season, and his book is far from written.
Could a Platoon be the Answer?
No matter how you feel about platoons, Francona will utilize them. We can expect Jake Fraley to be platooned in the outfield likely with Stuart Fairchild or Blake Dunn. If third does become a platoon option, what could that look like?
For this exercise, I’m assuming Encarnacion-Strand is the Reds’ first baseman and not a real option at third. If he proves to be worthy of everyday at-bats, Candelario and Lux have the inside track at third against righties. Whoever performs better defensively can fill third with the other sliding to DH.
Against lefties, Espinal and Candelario, who is a switch-hitter, are the likely options. I keep coming back to Espinal and seeing him as a player Francona is going to love. I could see him playing the best defense of the group while putting the ball in play the most. Throughout his career, Espinal is a .298/.351/.426 hitter against lefties, making him a great option as a short-side platoon.
There’s a level of comfort in predictability from a player, and you know what Espinal is going to give you. If he does start against lefties, and Candelario is on the bench, Candelario gives Francona a switch-hitting bat with power to use as a pinch-hitter in the games’ biggest moments. Having that chess piece can give the Reds an advantage no matter what the opponents’ bullpen situation might be.
The Detroit Tigers have done this with Kerry Carpenter by not starting him against lefties, but almost always finding him an at-bat once the opponent get into their bullpen. Candelario is not the level of hitter that Carpenter is, but being a switch-hitter allows for more possibilities.
Lux could also fall into this situation as a late game option only with less power and in righty-only matchups.
What’s the Best Case Scenario?
The best-case scenario and Cincinnati Reds rarely line up, but walk with me here.
The options we have listed have all seen some level of major league success. To think one of these players could emerge as the everyday option and provide positive value is well within the possibilities. Realistically, I see two outcomes as possible and positive.
The first scenario is that Candelario wins the job outright. No platoon, just the veteran you signed to be an everyday player who does just that.
Candelario has shown an ability to hit both righties (career .728 OPS) and lefties (career .753 OPS) while also offering the most power of the group. He’s logged seasons of average to above-average defense at third, giving me hope that he can be at least a playable option.
Now healthy, Candelario is in a position to provide this team with the middle-of-the-order bat they desperately need. If Candelario wins the job outright, Lux and Espinal can be used to fill the holes that injuries and underperformance create.
The second best-case scenario is a bit of a longer shot: Noelvi Marte blossoms into the player we were promised.
We are talking about a 23-year-old, former top prospect who has only 101 major league games under his belt. I know the form we have seen after the PED suspension is a shell of what we thought Marte would become, but there’s still an avenue where he could be the answer.
Going back to the minors and essentially resetting and earning the job from the ground up is exactly what Marte needs. Allow him to work on his defense and uncharacteristic swing-and-miss issues from last year in Louisville. I believe there’s still enough talent that a mid-season call-up where Marte becomes the answer is still a possibility.
Final Thoughts
Having a plug-and-play option that you do not have to worry about at third base would be great. However, the reality is, as of today, we are far away from having that comfort. That being said, having multiple major leaguers as options is not such a bad place to be in.
I see the most likely scenario being Candelario getting the most work at third. He’s not only the most proven option, but he’s a veteran who offers power — something this team needs to find. Part of my gut is telling me Espinal will play more than the average fan might desire.
Like I mentioned before, I see Espinal as a player Francona will value more than most — especially if Lux’s defense at third is shaky. Using the DH spot to work in at-bats for others and plugging Espinal in the nine hole while being the best option defensively is very possible.
At the end of the day, third base does not have to make or break this team. We can all agree it is not the strongest position for this team, and that’s okay. Competition brings out the best in players, and the Reds have enough to think the answer is on this roster.
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