Noelvi Marte’s abrupt exit will have Reds fans expecting a roster shakeup

It would appear that the Cincinnati Reds have seen enough improvement from Noelvi Marte's time in the minor leagues and are ready to welcome him back to the big-league roster. Marte was removed from Thursday's minor-league game between the Louisville Bats and St. Paul Saints during the top of the seventh inning. No injury was reported.

Typically this is an indication that a player is being called up to the major leagues. And while Marte's certainly done enough during his time in Louisville be earn a promotion, given that the Reds were off on Thursday, it's somewhat curious that he was pulled mid-game and not already on his way to Cincinnati. It's possible that Marte's impending recall is due, in part, to an injury on among one of the Reds' regulars.

But Marte's undoubtedly put together quite the résumé since being optioned back to the minors. Since his return to the Derby City, he's hitting .379/.426/.600 with eight home runs, 26 RBI, and a 166 wRC+. He's also been receiving reps in center field — a position that hasn't yielded good results for the Reds this season.

What does Noelvi Marte's impending return mean for the Reds roster?

While Marte has been surging at Triple-A, the Reds' duo of Will Benson and TJ Friedl have been struggling. In 41 games, Benson is hitting .179/.319/.290 with a 78 wRC+ while Friedl owns a .180/.260/.244 slash line with a 47 wRC+. Neither player has done enough this season to warrant an everyday spot in the lineup, and it would seem that one is likely headed back to the minors.

Both Benson and Friedl have minor-league options remaining, and the former was yo-yo'd back and forth between Cincinnati and Louisville multiple times last season. Benson's received numerous opportunities during his Reds' tenure to become part of the every day lineup, but strikeouts continue to be his downfall. His 30.5% strikeout rate just isn't going to cut it.

Friedl's drop-off has been particularly troubling. Though he's a leader in the clubhouse, Friedl's inability to get on-base with regularity forced Terry Francona to remove him from the leadoff spot. He's become little more than a spectator for the better part of two weeks, and one has to wonder if a tuneup in the minors is necessary to get him back on track.

Regardless of the corresponding move, it would seem that Marte is on his way back to the bigs. Reds fans are hopeful that the improvements he's made in the minors are here to stay.

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