Cincinnati Reds: Adding Brock Holt would lessen Josh VanMeter’s role

The Cincinnati Reds are rumored to be interested in utilityman Brock Holt. If added to the roster, Holt’s presence may make Josh VanMeter’s role a bit redundant.

Throughout the 2019, fans were clamoring to see more of Josh VanMeter. The rookie was called up to the big leagues shortly after Nick Senzel‘s debut in May. The Cincinnati Reds found creative ways to get VanMeter’s bat into the lineup, however, with the rumored pursuit of Brock Holt, VanMeter’s role could look much different on next year’s squad.

VanMeter starred in the early going for Triple-A Louisville. The 24-year-old put up ridiculous numbers during the first month of the season and finished his time with the Bats by hitting .348/.429/.669 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs. In need of a power bat in the lineup, it was no wonder that VanMeter quickly ascended to the majors.

The former fifth-round pick made his big league debut on May 5th, snagging a pinch hit opportunity and drawing a walk in his first plate appearance. During his first stint with the Reds, VanMeter hit .220 with nine hits in 41 at-bats. The Reds sent VanMeter back to Triple-A Louisville, but he was recalled for good in July.

Over the final three months of the season, Josh VanMeter slashed .241/.322/.439 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs. VanMeter displayed some power, launching his first major league homer on July 20th against the St. Louis Cardinals. That dinger gave the Reds the lead and eventually the win. To close out the month of July, VanMeter hit .433 with four home runs and 1.400 OPS.

Heading into the offseason, a few fans thought VanMeter had a chance to perhaps win the starting job at second base during spring training. However, the acquisition of Mike Moustakas put an end to that speculation, and any hope VanMeter had of starting in left field was squashed when Cincinnati signed Shogo Akiyama to an already crowded outfield.

VanMeter seems destined to serve the same role he did last year, which is that of a utility player. VanMeter can play first, second, and third base, as well as the outfield. Strangely enough, a player Cincinnati is rumored to have interest in would occupy a very similar role if the Reds do indeed sign him.

Brock Holt, who played for the Boston Red Sox last season, is rumored to be drawing the interest of the Cincinnati Reds. That’s a good thing. Holt had a very successful season at the plate last year, putting up a career-high .369 on-base percentage. The one-time All-Star has a collective OBP of .342 over the past six seasons.

Holt also possesses a lot of positional flexibility; something that David Bell really seems to value. We saw the rookie skipper use players like VanMeter, Derek Dietrich, José Peraza, and Michael Lorenzen all over the field last season. I’d expect the same approach in 2020, and Holt has experience playing every defensive position with the exception of catcher.

So, if the Reds make that move, what might that mean for Josh VanMeter? After all, Holt is a left-handed batter, albeit without the same power as VanMeter. Holt does, however, show a penchant to get on-base, something it would appear the Reds value after acquiring Akiyama.

After years of futility, it would be crazy to second guess the idea of adding a proven bat to the Reds lineup, especially after last year’s offensive performance saw the team finish 12th in total runs scored. That said, VanMeter showed flashes of potential, and it’d be a shame to see his growth halted.

I still think a trade of two is around the corner. Whether it’s a blockbuster trade for a player like Francisco Lindor, or a lesser deal for a reliever or two, some of the players currently on the Reds roster are occupying a precarious seat. If VanMeter, Phillip Ervin, or Jesse Winker were traded in the coming weeks, that may shed some light on the bench roles going forward.