Cincinnati Reds: 3 trade packages swapping Nick Senzel for a shortstop

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DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 2: Nick Senzel #15 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates as he scores on a single.(Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Might the Reds move on from Nick Senzel this spring?

Some of the moves the Cincinnati Reds have made lately have some of the fanbase scratching their head and wondering if something bigger is in the works. Perhaps a trade for a shortstop? One of the bigger trade chips Cincinnati has is centerfielder Nick Senzel. What might the Reds be able to get in return if they began shopping the former first-round pick?

For the record, I’m not a fan of trading Senzel. I’m quite aware of his track record and inability to stay on the field. However, trading the former No. 2 overall pick seems like a knee-jerk reaction to a crowded outfield rather than a well thought out way to build this team for the 2021 season and beyond.

Switching Senzel from an infielder to the team’s starting centerfielder back in 2019 may have done irreparable damage to the Tennessee native’s development. Blocked by Eugenio Suárez at third base, the front office deemed it necessary to move the athletically-gifted Senzel to the outfield grass.

Since that time, Senzel has struggled to stay on the field. A series of freak injuries allowed the former top-rated prospect to play in just 104 games during his rookie season. Senzel was also absent for half of Cincinnati’s season in 2020 as well. If Senzel can’t stay healthy, it makes sense for Nick Krall to see what he may be able to get in return.

The Reds signings of Dee Strange-Gordon and Tyler Naquin raised a few eyebrows. Were these moves made just for depth or does the front office have something bigger in mind? Shogo Akiyama could start in center field, paving the way for Jesse Winker to start in left field and the duo of Strange-Gordon and Naquin could come off the bench.

While I think we should stop short of saying Nick Senzel is on the trade block, if Krall and the front office are looking to upgrade the shortstop position, Senzel may be the centerpiece of such a deal. Let’s look at three potential trade packages that would involve the Tennessee alum.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 08: Amed Rosario #1 of the New York Mets in action. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

1. Reds ship Nick Senzel to the Indians and land a shortstop.

If the Cincinnati Reds really look to deal Nick Senzel before the season starts, the front office should make shortstop it’s primary target. The Indians have been known to be interested in Senzel for years, and with the addition of Amed Rosario earlier this offseason, Cleveland has more than enough middle infielders.

But the Reds cannot just give Senzel away for an average shortstop. Rosario is a solid, yet unspectacular shortstop. A career slash line of .268/.302/.403 is nothing that’s going to get Reds Country jumping up and down, but if Cleveland sweetened the pot, perhaps the two sides could make a deal.

George Valera is one of Cleveland’s top prospects entering the 2021 season. The outfielder was signed for $1.3M out of the Dominican Republic, but the 20-year-old has yet to play meaningful baseball in the United States. Valera has plus-power, but has a potential for a lot of swing and miss. He profiles as a corner outfielder who could hit 30-plus homers per season.

If the Reds are looking for a shortstop, Rosario seems like the most likely trade candidate. He’s under team control through the 2023, giving José García plenty of time to adjust to major league hitting. This deal would give Cincinnati a starting shortstop, and the combination of Shogo Akiyama, Dee Strange-Gordon, and Mark Payton could platoon in center field.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 24: Willy Adames #1 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

2. Reds send Nick Senzel and Austin Hendrick to Tampa Bay.

If the Cincinnati Reds really want to upgrade the shortstop position in 2021, Willy Adames should be their target. However, Nick Senzel alone would not be enough to complete a trade for the Tampa Bay Rays’ shortstop. Doing business with the Rays is always risky, but this move would put the Reds into contention for the next few seasons.

We’ve already seen Tampa Bay deal former Cy Young-winner Blake Snell, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team move on from Adames, especially with baseball’s top prospect Wander Franco ready to make the move to the big leagues. Adames, though, would not come cheap.

Some fans may scoff at the idea of sending last year’s first-round pick to Tampa Bay I order to complete a deal like this, but a move like this is about thee present versus the future. Nick Senzel, if healthy, and Austin Hendrick, if he develops, are cornerstone-type players for the Reds. But with the team’s current roster, Cincinnati is a couple moves away from competing for the division crown.

Bringing in Willy Adames solidifies the shortstop position for the next several years and gives Cincinnati time to develop José García. If the front office wants to keep Adames in their longterm plans, García then becomes a trade chip down the road. A trade like this is about winning in 2021, not competing in 2025.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 26: Jorge Polanco #11 of the Minnesota Twins looks on prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

3. Reds swap Nick Senzel and pitching prospect for Jorge Polanco.

Royce Lewis, much like Wander Franco, is ready for the big leagues. Jorge Polanco, much like Willy Adames, is expendable. Furthermore, the Minnesota Twins recently signed Andrelton Simmons, meaning that Polanco is expected to vacate the shortstop position and switch to second base. It just so happens that Nick Senzel has some familiarity with the position as well.

One of the most puzzling things to come out of Reds spring training is management’s lack of creativity. It’s extremely odd to me that the front office feels Senzel is athletic enough to handle the rigors of center field, but in no way will they give the former first-round pick a chance to handle shortstop duties.

The Reds are currently slated to enter the 2021 season with Kyle Farmer as the team’s starting shortstop. Why not move Senzel to shortstop and make Shogo Akiyama Cincinnati’s primary centerfielder? Senzel had been an infielder his entire college and professional career until the 2019 season when the Reds flipped him to center field.

In order to make this deal work for both sides, the teams could agree to include a couple prospects that would give both teams some added depth in their respective farm systems. The Reds could snag Brent Rooker, a first base prospect who could eventually supplant Joey Votto. The Twins could beef up their rotation with major league ready right-hander Tony Santillan.

Polanco would give Cincinnati a starting shortstop who’s under contract through the 2023 season. The switch-hitting Polanco is owed $9.8M over the next two seasons, and $7.5M in the final guaranteed year of his current deal. Polanco’s contract contains a vesting option for 2024.

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So, if you were the Cincinnati Reds front office, would you be willing to part with Nick Senzel in order to fill the vacancy at shortstop? Are any of these deals too risky? Is there another player the Reds should look at? We’ll see if the former No. 2 overall pick opens up the 2021 season with Cincinnati or another team.

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