Cincinnati Reds quietly have some of the biggest bats in MLB

The Cincinnati Reds are in the middle of a bad season, but are hitting home runs at nearly every position.

The Cincinnati Reds are 11th in home runs in MLB.  They are sixth in the National League.  This makes them an interesting team once you look at how highly ranked they are at several positions.

Right now perennial MVP candidate and Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto is tied for the NL league in home runs.  He is also tied for first among MLB first baseman.  Votto is the lynch pin in the Reds’ power this year.  Meanwhile, he only had the same odds as Chicago Cubs left fielder, Kyle Schwarber, when the season started.

At second base part-time starter Scooter Gennett has the same number as All-Star starter Daniel Murphy for the NL lead in home runs.  They rank fourth in all of MLB.  The only second baseman in the top ten with fewer at-bats this season than Gennett is Chicago Cubs’ rookie and former University of Cincinnati Bearcat, Ian Happ.

Want your voice heard? Join the Blog Red Machine team!

Write for us!

Eugenio Suarez is ninth in the NL and 17th in MLB among third basemen for home runs.  He got off to a good start, but has slowed down of late.  A large part of this is that teams pitch around him causing his sixth place ranking of walks among third basemen in MLB.

More from Joey Votto

• Will Joey Votto surpass Johnny Bench for the most HRs in Reds history?
• Reds: Joey Votto has been MLB’s best player since the All-Star break
• Reds: Joey Votto’s quest for a second MVP is very realistic
• Reds: Joey Votto making second-half push for NL MVP
• Reds: Hypocritical Zach Davies disliked Joey Votto’s gesture following HR

The corner outfielders are also power merchants for the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 and hopefully beyond.

Scott Schebler ranks fifth among all MLB right fielders with 22 home runs.  His total is equal to that of 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and is a pair of home runs behind  former Reds’ right fielder, Jay Bruce.  The projections for Schebler had this closer to his season total, not pre-All-Star break total.

In left field it is the second season in a row that Adam Duvall has shown great power.  He ranks fourth in MLB in home runs by left fielders.  He also leads all left fielders in doubles and extra base hits as he tries to outdo what he did in his breakout season of 2016.

Zack Cozart ranks 11th among MLB shortstops in home runs, but sixth in extra base hits.  This comes in a first half where he only played 68 games because of injury.  Cozart started the All-Star Game because of OBP and defense, not power.

Next: Adam Duvall leads under achieving outfield

Of course, the best defensive center fielder in the history of the Reds, Billy Hamilton isn’t know for power at all, nor is Jose Peraza who has the next most playing time in the field.  This version of the Reds is built around hitting the baseball a long way.  If only they could a few more batters on base before hitting the long balls.  Then maybe the Reds could win a few more games.