Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds sent a .189 hitting outfielder to Triple A Louisville and recalled a third catcher.
Noelvi Marte hit .189 in 63 games with seven doubles, six home runs and 15 RBI. Since August first, Marte appeared in 12 games and had four singles in 30 at bats (.133) with 10 strikeouts.
His defense has also lapsed.
Will Banfield, a 26-year old catcher, the second round pick of the Miami Marlins in the 2018 draft out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia will join the Reds for the third game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Banfield caught in 78 games in Louisville and was hitting .262 with 12 doubles, 11 home runs and 46 RBI for the Bats.
He was with the Reds for 10 games last season, while Tyler Stephenson was on the injured list and had a single in 10 at bats.
Tyler Stephenson has been one of the Reds' most productive hitters since June. Starting June 7, Stephenson is hitting .309 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 22 RBI. He has slashed .309/.380/.537 for an OPS of .916. The catching rigors requires more days off. The Reds can now use him as a designated hitter to get him off his feet for a game here and there with Banfield here.
"It is just a chance. We got a kid here (Banfield) who can catch and throw really well," Terry Francona said. "We talked about a number of different scenarios and we thought this might be the best way to help our roster. He's a great kid. Hopefully, this can be a little bit of a learning experience while he's here. Stevo's had a big load too. This should help."
Francona asked Marte how things were going as they told him about the demotion.
"He said, not very well," Francona said. "It is kind of a pivotal time for him. He will probably find a way to get some hits in Triple A but he's got to play with some urgency and get after it. Be the first one out there, don't be the last one out there, take charge in the outfield. He has all the tools to be an every day player. Saying that, when you're playing, you have to find a way to help your team win. It is not just getting hits. It's playing the position and being accountable for so many different things. He was just having a tough time by his own admission."
Banfield has been learning on the job in Louisville.
"He's really done a good job, like learning how to follow the scouting report a little bit more and the game plan. He came from Miami where they were kind of calling stuff for him," Francona said. "He's chipped in offensively, way more than he did in the past."
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