Cincinnati Reds: 2019 midseason grade for Nick Senzel

We’ve reached the midway point of the Cincinnati Reds’ 2019 season and it’s time to review Nick Senzel’s rookie campaign.

Nick Senzel was the No. 1 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds‘ farm system and likely could have received his call-up to the major leagues last season had it not been for a season-ending injury. Be that as it may, so far, Senzel has met his lofty expectations head on.

Fans were disappointed when Senzel did not make the 25-man roster out of Spring Training this season, even though the team’s top prospect made a great showing and put in the work to learn how to play at a completely new position. After battling back from another injury at the tail end of Spring Training, Senzel finally made his major league debut on May 3rd.

Since he was called up, Senzel is slashing .269/.329/.477 with an .806 OPS. The Reds’ center fielder has come up with several clutch hits and scored 31 runs. In fact, it was after Senzel made his debut that the Cincinnati Reds finally started seeing some success with their offense following a dreadful start to the season.

Senzel has knocked in 27 runs, hit 8 homers, 13 doubles, 2 triples, and drawn 18 walks in his 197 plate appearances so far this season. By all accounts, Senzel is doing what we all knew he was capable of doing once he finally made it to the big leagues.

The Reds rookie has the second-highest batting average on the team, ranks second in stolen bases, second in OPS, and second in doubles. Senzel is tied with Derek Dietrich and José Iglesias in  triples, and tied with Joey Votto for fifth in home runs. Senzel should sitting on a couple more if not for Kevin Pillar and Jason Heyward each robbing him of a round tripper this season.

Given all of the offensive struggles the Cincinnati Reds have seen as a team, Senzel is having a great rookie season. He is coming up with clutch hits, looking like a natural in center field, and showing a lot of maturity in his plate appearances.

If the Reds somehow climb out of the basement of the National League Central, which is not out of the realm of possibilities, and Senzel keeps up the work he’s been putting in, there is even a chance that Senzel could be considered to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. He’ll have some stiff competition with the likes of Pete Alonso (New York Mets) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres).

No matter what happens this season, I firmly believe what we are seeing is just the beginning of a great career for Nick Senzel. The Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect entering the 2019 season appears to be one of the foundational building blocks for the team moving forward.