Cincinnati Reds’ third baseman finally discovers success defensively

After two years of playing mediocre defense for the CIncinnati Reds, Eugenio Suarez has finally figured out third base at the MLB level.

Eugenio Suarez came over to the Cincinnati Reds as a shortstop, but never looked good there.  The defensive story of Suarez is one that is not told often enough.  Here is how Suarez came to play third base for the Reds and replace the Home Run Champion, Todd Frazier.

Suarez signed with the Detroit Tigers as an 18-year old from Venezuela.  There are currently 71 players from Venezuela on the forty man rosters for MLB teams.  The two most famous are Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers and Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros.

His first two seasons with the TIgers, Suarez played for the Venezuelan Summer League.  His first season Suarez was a third baseman that occasionally played second.  He wasn’t very good at either that first year.

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His second year in the VSL, Suarez played mostly either left field or shortstop.  He still would play third and second from time to time, as well as center field.  He got to more balls, but still didn’t look good defensively.

In 2011 Suarez made his North American debut.  He played a combined 70 games all at shortstop, making 24 errors.  That is not the sort of defense that will get a player to the majors.

When the Cincinnati Reds traded for Eugenio Suarez, his defensive position still was not set in stone.

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When Suarez played his first full season of A-ball, he still played some second base.  He limited his errors at short and looked good.  The Tigers thought he would continue to develop this way.

Then came 2013 and his defensive regression.  Suarez moved up to High-A and Double-A, but his defense slid back to its Rookie ball level.  This was the same year that his batting average dipped below .300 at the end of the season.

In 2014 Suarez made his MLB debut with the Tigers.

When the call-up came he was playing solid, unimpressive defensive at shortstop.  Not too shabby for a former third baseman.

Following the 2014 season, the Reds traded pitcher Alfredo Simon to Detroit for Suarez.  Suarez played 55 games at shortstop at Louisville before being called up to replace an injured Zack Cozart in Cincinnati.  He committed 19 errors in 95 starts, looking comfortable, but unimpressive.

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For the past two seasons Suarez has been back at home at his original position of third base.  Last season he was arguably the worst defensive third base man in the National League.  He was overrated offensively and presumed better defensively.  This year he looks like an average defensive MLB third baseman and the Reds have breathed a huge sigh of relief.