Cincinnati Reds positional preview vs. NL Central: center field

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MIAMI, FLORIDA – AUGUST 28: Nick Senzel #15 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Whether it’s Shogo Akiyama or Nick Senzel manning center field for the Reds remains to be seen. How do they match up against others in the division?

Who’ll be the Cincinnati Reds starting centerfielder when the 2020 season begins is anyone’s guess. The Reds signed Shogo Akiyama to a three-year contract in early-January after the 31-year-old experienced a stellar career in Japan. Nick Senzel, a former first-round pick, was moved from the infield to center field last season. How do the Reds stack up against their division rivals?

The days of Billy Hamilton roaming the Reds outfield have come and gone. While Hamilton was outstanding in the field, his bat left much to be desired. Hamilton was sent packing last offseason and replaced in the outfield by Scott Schebler, who eventually gave way to Cincinnati’s rookie Nick Senzel.

A variety of bumps and bruises limited Senzel to just 104 games in the bigs last season and the 24-year-old ended the 2019 season on the injured list with a shoulder injury. The late start to the 2020 season likely puts Senzel on schedule to start the year on the Opening Day roster. However, Senzel will have competition in the field this season.

Cincinnati signed Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama to a free agent deal, and the former NPB All-Star will get plenty of reps in the Reds outfield. While Akiyama can play all over the outfield, his forte is up the middle. This will impact the way in which David Bell utilizes his players, but we’re sure to see of plenty of both Akiyama and Senzel.

But how does Cincinnati hold up against fellow centerfielders in the division? Last year’s Gold Glove Award winner resides in the NL Central, though a two-time winner of that award is now in the NL West. Where do the Reds centerfielders rank among division foes?

SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 30: Harrison Bader #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

5. Jarrod Dyson, Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates had, arguably, the best centerfielder in the division heading into offseason. Starling Marte, however, was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks over the winter and Pittsburgh signed Jarrod Dyson (one-year/$2M) to take over in center field for the for the two-time Gold Glover and former All-Star.

Dyson, formerly of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals, has never put up great numbers at the dish. For his career, Dyson is a .247 hitter with an OPS of .657. The 35-year-old does put up good defensive numbers though. According to FanGraphs, last season with the Diamondbacks, Dyson had 14 defensive runs saved, double the number (7) he put up in 2018.

4. Harrison Bader, St. Louis Cardinals

Speaking of defense, few in the game of baseball possess the speed of Harrison Bader. The 25-year-old is likely to be roaming the center of the St. Louis Cardinals outfield once the 2020 season commences, but there are a few young prospects nipping at his heels.

Bader, much like Jarrod Dyson, is not a real threat at the plate. Bader hit just .205 last season and for his career, has just a .236 batting average. However, defensively, Bader can track down almost any ball hit into the gap. According to FanGraphs, Bader had 14 defensive runs saved last season in center field. He put eight DRS in 2018.

Dylan Carlson, a former first-round selection of the Cardinals in 2016, is on his way to the bigs. Whether he profiles better as a centerfielder or a corner outfielder is anyone’s guess, but the 21-year-old is likely to make his major league debut in 2020. Bader will have to put up good numbers at the plate to fend off the young stud.

CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 08: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs is seen at bat during the game against the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

The former UC Bearcat comes in at No. 3 on our list, but will he even be in center field for the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day? A slow start during last year’s spring training kept Ian Happ off the Cubs 25-man roster to begin the 2019 season, but his bat improved and he finished the year slashing .264/.333/.564 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs in just 140 at-bats.

You won’t find that kind of power from a lot of centerfielders. The switch-hitting Happ is a threat to take the ball over the fence nearly every time he approaches the dish. While he spent the entire 2018 season with the big league club, it was evident that Happ needed some more seasoning in the minors. It appears that the message was received loud and clear.

2. Shogo Akiyama, Cincinnati Reds

Given that Shogo Akiyama signed a three-year/$21M contract with the Cincinnati Reds, we’re going to go under the assumption that he’ll be the starting centerfielder when the 2020 season finally gets underway. However, Nick Senzel is likely to see a lot of time at the position as well. The postponement of the 2020 season likely insures that Senzel will be fully recovered from offseason surgery.

But the Reds didn’t sign Akiyama to ride the bench. The former Japanese star is the perfect player to sit atop the Cincinnati batting order, with an on-base percentage above .385 over the past five seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Akiyama is a versatile defender, and we’ll likely see him slide over to play left field on occasion, giving Senzel the opportunity to play center field. Last year’s rookie had an up-and-down 2019 season, but Senzel is still very likely to be a key part of the Cincinnati Reds future.

MILWAUKEE, WI – SEPTEMBER 14: Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

1. Lorenzo Cain, Milwaukee Brewers

If you’re a baseball fan, you have to appreciate the way Lorenzo Cain plays the game. The Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder finally got his due last year and took home the Gold Glove in the National League. There’s little doubt that Cain deserves the No. 1 spot among centerfielders in the NL Central.

Drafted in the 17th round of the 2004 MLB Draft, Cain made his big league debut for the Brewers in 2010. After playing just one season in Milwaukee, Cain was packaged with three other players and shipped to Kansas City for pitcher Zack Greinke. Cain went on to win the MVP in the 2014 ALCS and become a World Champion in 2015.

Cain returned to Milwaukee on a five-year/$80M contract that the signed in 2018. Since then, Cain has been a mainstay atop the Brewers lineup, gone to the All-Star Game (2018) and won a Gold Glove (2019). In his his time since rejoining the Brew Crew, Cain has hit .283/.360/.394 with 48 stolen bases.

With a career-OPS of .763, Cain is not an overly productive player at the dish, but his defensive prowess more than makes up for his lack of offensive production. Lorenzo Cain led all major league centerfielders with a .994 fielding percentage in 2019. Cain has made more than one phenomenal defensive play when facing the Reds.

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So, while the Cincinnati Reds may not have the best centerfielder in the NL Central, adding Shogo Akiyama to the squad certainly boosts the team’s profile. Again, Nick Senzel is likely to see plenty of time playing the position as well, and with the likelihood of double-headers, the Reds outfield will be primed for back-to-back games.

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