Cincinnati Reds reassigned injured Desmond Jennings to minor league camp

The Cincinnati Reds sent back-up center fielder Desmond Jennings to the minor league camp, ending his chances at opening day.

Desmond Jennings opted of his contract with the Cincinnati Reds this weekend.  Now he can go sign with another team.  Odds are that he will do just that.

Jennings, though, has no one to blame other than himself.  He came in and was uninspiring, batting just .195 with two home runs.  That isn’t what you do to make a big league team as a non-roster invitee.

The death knell, though, was that he hurt his hip ten days before the start of the season.  That kept the Reds from being able to see if he was healthy enough to be an elite defensive center fielder.  His defense is what the Reds were interested in.

Now Jennings will in all likelihood go back out into the market to look for another back-up job.  With the injury to JD Martinez, the Detroit Tigers are actively seeking back-up outfielders and the Philadelphia Phillies are said to be doing the same.  The question is whether either would have interest in a 30-year old center fielder who can’t stay healthy.

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Jennings will miss opening day and likely opt out of his contract.  That doesn’t completely end his time with the Reds, however.  He is still welcomed by the team to stay ready in case former Seattle Mariner top prospect Patrick Kivlehan doesn’t work out.

The Cincinnati Reds have decided to go without a back-up center fielder to start the 2017 season.

With Jennings in minor league camp, the Reds’ bench consists of Scooter Gennett, Arismendy Alcantara, Stuart Turner, and Kivlehan.  None of them are true center fielders.

Alcantara and starting second baseman Jose Peraza have experience in center.

Towards the end of spring the Reds got experience for Scott Schebler in center field.  The few games that Schebler played in center last season, when Billy Hamilton was injured, were not impressive.  The lack of a true back-up center fielder is something that the Reds may regret.  Schebler has to worry about holding onto right field first.

Next: Cincinnati Reds were short on center fielders in camp

They finally decided to start the season with 8 relievers in the bullpen.  This is a sign of how bad they expect the rotation to be that includes two rookies.  They would be better off having a rotation of minor leaguers add to the bullpen depth over carrying Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson, and Wandy Peralta on the 25-man roster.  It is this decision to carry so many relievers that may have  cost Jennings his chance to start the season on an MLB team.