Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop Zack Cozart looks to use offensive start to garner interest from contenders

The Cincinnati Reds still plan to trade Zack Cozart this season and he’s hoping to land with a playoff team.

When the Cincinnati Reds trade Zack Cozart, he wants to go to a contending team.  More than that he wants to go somewhere that he can play everyday.  In order for that to happen he has to be seen as the top shortstop option on the trade market.

The Reds hope that Cozart continues to hit the cover off of the ball.  They have Jose Peraza ready to be the everyday shortstop with Zach Vincej and former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajun Blake Trahan not far behind on the organizational depth chart.  Trading Cozart will also allow the Reds to get a prospect like Dilson Herrera or Jesse Winker into the line-up on an everyday basis.

The best case scenario right now for Cozart is that he becomes a contending team’s back-up defensive infielder.  He fits that role for American League teams exceptionally well.  Cozart hopes to demonstrate enough offense that he can be considered an everyday starter as a replacement for an injured shortstop.

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Whether it is as a platoon partner and defensive sub for someone like the San Francisco Giants’ second baseman Joe Panik or replacing an injured infielder on the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cozart has to show he can hit and play other positions than short.  He likely won’t get the chance to play any other positions for the Reds, but he can show-off his batting skill.  The Reds just need to continue batting him at the top of the order.

Zack Cozart looks poised to continue his  good offensive season for the Cincinnati Reds in 2017.

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Cozart’s biggest obstacle will be his OBP.  When he hits for a high average his OBP follows along.  When he hits below .250 his OBP drops below .300 and he become an offensive detriment.  Right now he is hitting over .350 with an OBP above .400.

As a Red, Cozart has hit about one home run every ten games.  There’s a great chance that his power numbers will go down when he moves on to another team.  However, it shouldn’t hold down his ability to approach 60 runs created.

His offensive skill has been around that of Addison Russell and Freddie Galvis.

They are both strong defensive players that should get better with time.  Cozart’s issue is that he has plateau’d offensively.

Given that Cozart has been inconsistent with his OBP, his location at the end of the season will likely depend on an injury.  He fits in nicely now as a defensive back-up on an AL team.  By the time the trade takes place, a team may need him to start.

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The Reds want Cozart to succeed.  Short of making a run at playoffs themselves, nothing would make the Reds happier than seeing Cozart starting for a playoff team.  That means that a playoff contender likely traded a strong prospect for the Reds’ current shortstop.