Cincinnati Reds: Grading Kyle Farmer’s versatile 2019 season

After replacing the injured Scooter Gennett, Kyle Farmer proved he deserved to stay in the big leagues and really came through for the Cincinnati Reds in 2019.

Kyle Farmer wasn’t even expected to make the 25-man roster out of spring training. Had Scooter Gennett not injured his groin, Farmer would have began the 2019 season in Triple-A Louisville. Who knows when we would have seen him in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. However, Farmer was given an opportunity and he didn’t waste it.

Virtually nobody had heard of Kyle Farmer when the Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers completed a blockbuster trade last December. The Reds gained Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and Alex Wood along with Farmer. In turn, Cincinnati was able to shed the massive contract of Homer Bailey at the small expense of prospects Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray.

Farmer made his presence felt during the team’s trip to Pittsburgh early in the season. After the Reds offense had been scoreless for 30 straight innings, Farmer finally ended the scoreless streak with a two-run homer. He would end up coming up with several clutch hits throughout the season. In 179 at bats, he slashed .235/.285/.704 with 9 home runs 27 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.

Having Farmer would be crucial when the Cincinnati Reds reached July and both catchers found themselves on the injured list and they needed a catcher. Tucker Barnhart suffered an oblique strain and Curt Casali was out with a knee injury.

Farmer caught more games in that time than he had all season, including a seven game stretch that saw him suit up behind the plate six times. Farmer took two foul balls to his catcher’s mask in the same game during an extra inning affair at Wrigley Field. That resulted in a trip to the seven-day concussion list and left the Reds with no active catchers on their roster.

I don’t know who the Reds would have brought off the bench that night and we didn’t have to find out. Farmer gutted it out, even when the second foul ball dented his mask and caused him to black out for a moment. Farmer got right back up and finished the game, knowing that he was the only catcher on the roster.

Farmer has shown off some real versatility this year. He has played every infield position at least once, including pitcher. That’s right, Kyle Farmer made his pitching debut with the Cincinnati Reds this season. Granted, it wasn’t the most ideal of situations, but still.

On August 8th, the Reds were down by six runs in the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs when David Bell, knowing there was no coming back to win this one, decided to save another relief pitcher and have a position player pitch the last inning-plus.

Farmer took the mound, not even talking signs with Tucker Barnhart. Farmer just went out and essentially played catch to finish the game. Javier Baez decided to have some fun with the whole situation and took an at-bat from the left side of the plate.

Kyle Farmer has been a surprising highlight to the season for the Cincinnati Reds. He’s not without his struggles, just like the rest of the team, but Farmer has done a lot of good this season. Look for Farmer to be the primary utility player coming off the bench in 2020 and a slot right-handed pinch-hit option.