Reds: 3 directions Cincinnati could go with Nick Senzel moving forward

1. The Reds could platoon Nick Senzel in CF with Tyler Naquin.

Nick Senzel was the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day centerfielder in 2020 and 2021. Might the Reds see if the third time is a charm? It’s certainly an option. Up until this season, Senzel has spent the majority of his major league career in center field. While his ability to stay healthy can be questioned, his athleticsm more than affords Senzel the ability to play in the outfield.

This season, however, the emergence of Tyler Naquin has allowed David Bell to get a bit more creative with his lineup card. Always one to play the percentages, Bell inserted Naquin into the lineup on a regular basis as the team’s starting centerfielder against right-handed pitchers.

This did allow Bell, when Senzel was still on the active roster, to shift the former first-round pick to the infield dirt. Senzel garnered a couple starts at both second and third base, proving that he could handle the positions defensively. Senzel was actually the starting second baseman during Wade Miley’s no-hitter earlier this season.

Tyler Naquin is under team-control for two more seasons, and you have to assume that the Cincinnati Reds will tender a contract to the former Cleveland Indians’ outfielder this offseason. If the Reds aren’t willing to give up on Senzel as an outfielder, look for the team to keep Senzel in centerfield and platoon him with Naquin in 2022.

2. The Reds could trade Nick Senzel this offseason.

Last week, given the information we had, I would have told you that trading Nick Senzel was the most likely scenario heading into the offseason. However, with this latest revelation surrounding Senzel’s knee injury, a trade may be less and less likely.

This is two-fold. First, Senzel’s trade value is never going to be much lower than it is right now. There are those throughout Reds Country who advocated for the team to trade Senzel years ago. While his trade value was likely at its peak in 2017, the Reds had no interest in trading a franchise-altering player coming off a season in the minor leagues in which he posted a .905 OPS.

At that time, Cincinnati was in the midst of a rebuild and Senzel looked like a key piece moving forward. The then-21-year-old was among the Top 10 prospects in all of baseball and had “star” written all over him. Unfortunately, that was the last time that Senzel was healthy over the course of an entire season.

A bout with vertigo, an injured finger, and sprained ankle marred the remainder of his minor league career, and we’re all familiar with how his major league career has played out. His injury-riddled past does not make Senzel highly coveted in the eyes of fellow GMs. While a trade may still be on the table, I can’t imagine Cincinnati getting much in return.

3. The Reds could transform Nick Senzel into a utility player.

The sad truth is, maybe Nick Senzel is not an everyday player. Not from an ability standpoint, but perhaps his body cannot handle the rigors of the day-to-day grind of a 162-game season. At least, the Cincinnati Reds should not expect that moving forward.

Senzel has not proven that he can healthy and therefore, under no circumstances, can the Reds head into the offseason assuming that their former first-round pick should be assured a starting spot in the lineup. Instead, Senzel should be considered a bench player heading into the 2022 season.

Provided no trades are made over the offseason, the 2022 Cincinnati infield will likely be comprised of Joey Votto (1B), Jonathan India (2B), Jose Barrero (SS), and Eugenio Suarez (3B). With Nick Castellanos likely entering free agency, the Reds outfield may look a little different in 2022, but you have to figure that Tyler Naquin and Jesse Winker will be in the starting lineup.

With the universal DH a very real possibility, one should assume that Mike Moustakas will occupy that role. A combination of Aristides Aquino and Shogo Akiyama may find regular playing time in the outfield if Castellanos isn’t retained. That could leave Kyle Farmer as the Reds’ primary utility player.

The team will also need another utility player, and this is where Nick Senzel comes in. While it’s hard to see the Cincinnati Reds relying on the 26-year-old as the team’s everyday centerfielder, maybe he can occupy a position all over the diamond.

Nick Senzel, much like Whit Merrifield and Kris Bryant, possesses the unique ability to play all over the field. While it may be a bit humbling for a former first-round pick to be relegated to a bench role, until Senzel proves that he can stay healthy, this may be the best option for him and the team.