Don't be shocked if this Reds player is gone by the 2026 trade deadline

The Cincinnati Reds are off to a good start, and their plans to contend in 2026 seem to be humming along for the most part. As things stand now, they look to be buyers at the trade deadline as they try to solidify their position as contenders, not just in the NL Central, but in the greater baseball landscape.

For a budget-conscious team like the Reds, that presents a unique challenge. Giving up too many high-ranking prospects threatens the pipeline and the ability to replenish the roster in future years with cheap talent. Not making a deal for fear of future implications could leave the club in the awkward position of being good, but not good enough to make an impact.

Therefore, the best way to go about this might be to deal from positions of strength. If Cincinnati can live without a player from their big league roster, dangling him in exchange for something more impactful might just be the way to go.

A player who might fit that bill is right fielder Noelvi Marte, though his status as a trade chip is kind of complicated.

Determining Noelvi Marte's trade value for the Reds is complicated

On the surface, Marte is the type of player the Reds should be hanging onto for dear life. He doesn't turn 25 until October 16, is extremely athletic, and is under team control through 2030. The problem is that he's fumbled multiple chances to establish himself.

He debuted with a bang in 2023, but it came in a small 35-game sample. His 2024 took a nosedive when he was slapped with an 80-game PED suspension, and when he returned, he struggled. Then, in 2025, came a position change and a wildly inconsistent season when he posted an .884 first-half OPS and a .695 second-half mark. Now in 2026, he's started out ice cold.

It's not all Marte's fault. He struggles against lefties, yet the Reds continue to run him out there against southpaws and seem unaware of the best way to utilize him. At the same time, the Reds have a ton of options if Marte doesn't get on track.

The big league outfield is already pretty crowded with TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer, Will Benson, and Dane Myers already on the roster. Then, there are pieces like JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds waiting in the wings down at Louisville. Finally, top prospect Hector Rodriguez is off to a hot start and could soon be banging down the big-league door.

The same reasons that theoretically make Marte attractive to the Reds could make him attractive to a rebuilding club shopping veterans at the deadline. The issue, however, is this. If Marte continues to disappoint, Cincinnati won't be able to maximize his value.

There's still a baseline there, however, and even if he has to go down to Louisville for a time, it could help the Reds net more by dealing him at the deadline.

The biggest hurdle will be whether or not Marte can yield a return satisfactory to what the Reds' needs will be come July. No matter the case, it seems that Cincinnati and Marte are arriving at a crossroads, and if they don't move him this year, they might find that his value turns to dust.