The Reds introduced that they’ve chosen the contract of right-hander Rhett Lowder, a promotion that was beforehand reported, whereas additionally appointing righty Yosver Zulueta the twenty seventh participant for the double-header. In corresponding strikes for Lowder, they optioned left-hander Brandon Leibrandt and designated infielder Davis Wendzel for task.
Wendzel, 27, was acquired from the Rangers in a money deal on the finish of July after Texas had designated him for task. He was despatched to Triple-A Louisville, the place he has slashed .233/.327/.279 in his 101 plate appearances, manufacturing that interprets to a 66 wRC+.
With the commerce deadline within the rear-view mirror, the Reds must place Wendzel on waivers within the coming days. Although his current output wasn’t nice, he might garner curiosity primarily based on his bigger monitor report. Previous to the deal, he had hit .289/.384/.492 in 151 plate appearances for Triple-A Spherical Rock, resulting in a 117 wRC+.
He additionally hit 30 residence runs for the Specific final yr and drew walks at a 14.1% clip. His .236 /.361/.477 batting line solely translated to a 101 wRC+ within the heightened offensive setting of the Pacific Coast League, however that will have been held again by a .259 batting common on balls in play. His BABIP corrected to .298 with Spherical Rock previous to the deal, roughly common, which helped nudge his wRC+ up.
At a minimal, Wendzel gives defensive versatility, with the power to play all 4 infield positions. He additionally has a full slate of choices and only a few days of service time, that means he wouldn’t want a direct roster spot and comes with years of membership management. Regardless of the offensive downturn since coming to the Reds, he had been hitting fairly effectively on the Triple-A stage in 2023 and within the first few months of 2024.
The general bundle might maybe entice some membership to place in a declare. He doesn’t have a earlier profession outright, nor does he have not less than three years of service time, so he would keep on with the Reds in a non-roster capability if he goes unclaimed.
