Cincinnati Reds: Three players who will outperform their 2020 projections

2. Freddy Galvis, Shortstop

2020 Projections: .244/.290/.405, 17 HRs, 56 RBIs

While Freddy Galvis has not been the subject of trade talks all season as Nick Senzel has, the switch-hitter has been chastised as being the front office’s choice for the Opening Day shortstop. Names like Francisco Lindor and Corey Seager have been bandied about the offseason, but Galvis remains entrenched as the Reds choice to start the season at shortstop.

This is interesting to me, as ESPN has projected Galvis’ 2020 season to be worse than his 2019 campaign in which he set career-highs in home runs and RBIs. Galvis was a late-season addition who’s team-option was picked up over the winter. Reds fans didn’t get to see much from Galvis last season, as he played just 32 games before landing on the IL to end his 2019 season.

Galvis hit 23 home runs last season and is projected to hit 17 in 2020. That’s a pretty fair estimate, but with half his games now in the hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ball Park, there’s every reason to believe that Galvis’ career-high in homers (23) could be in jeopardy.

I honestly think the projection of just 56 RBIs is a bit low as well. Galvis is likely to be sitting at least sixth in a lineup that features Eugenio Suárez, Nick Castellanos Joey Votto and Mike Moustakas. Those guys are going to get on base and Galvis will have a lot of opportunities to bring them home.

Defensively, Freddy Galvis will be at least as good as José Iglesias was for the Reds in 2019. Unfortunately, Cincinnati fans didn’t get to see just how good of a defender Galvis really is. That, plus the lack of depth at shortstop, will keep Galvis on the field. If Galvis can get his on-base percentage above .300, he’ll be a dangerous cog in the Reds lineup.