Cincinnati Reds: Three players most likely to have a breakout season

3. Nick Senzel, Outfielder

Nick Senzel made his big league debut in 2019, but it didn’t go as planned. The former first-round entered the season with a lot of hype, and though he adjusted well to his new position, the rookie lacked consistency at the plate. If Senzel is able to show that he’s healthy, the 24-year-old has all the tools to become a force in the Cincinnati Reds lineup.

The talent is there. No one is questioning that. The questions surround concerns about Senzel’s durability, and they’re valid. I don’t believe he’s injury-prone as some fans like to say, but he’s had a rash of bad luck when it comes to injuries. The most serious injury is one Senzel’s still dealing with, a torn right labrum that will limit his availability during the early-part of spring training.

Senzel may appear to be a player without a position. After all, Cincinnati signed Shogo Akiyama this past winter to a three-year/$21M deal. Mike Moustakas was inked to a four-year contract worth $64M and he’s slated to man second base, a position many fans expected Senzel to fill in 2020.

The good thing for Senzel is that he’s a versatile defender. Learning how to play center field last spring will only enhance his value to David Bell this season. Fans saw umpteen different double-switches from the Reds skipper last season, and one should fully expect to see more of the same in 2020.

Senzel’s ability to play several different positions will help him find playing time in as lot of games this season. Senzel’s biggest question mark, as stated earlier, is his health. If last year’s rookie can stay on the field, then fans could be in for quite a treat in 2020.