Reds fans hope Noelvi Marte avoids the same path of this former failed prospect

How many times have you seen your favorite team select a player in Round 1 of the MLB Draft only to see said player fall flat on face during his first three seasons in the pros and never make to the The Show? Or what about a highly-rated prospect whose tools check all the boxes but never gets out of the minor leagues?

Draft position and prospects rankings can sometime set unrealistic expectations, can't they? It happens all the time. Cincinnati Reds fans only need to hear names like Nick Senzel, Robert Stephenson, Alfredo Rodriguez, and Chris Okey to be reminded that there is no such thing as a guarantee when you're talking about unproven prospects.

Noelvi Marte is, unfortunately, in that same category at the moment. The Reds' prized acquisition in the Luis Castillo trade from two years ago is struggling during the 2024 season. Marte showed flashes during his late-season call-up in 2023, but a PED-suspension and an undisciplined approach at the plate this season have raised some red flags. Sadly, Marte's performance is eerily similar to that of former top prospect Jose Barrero.

Reds fans hope Noelvi Marte avoids similar path of former failed prospect Jose Barrero

Reds fans will remember Barrero for being one of the most frustrating prospects in recent memory. There's a lot of back-and-forth among fans regarding Barrero's development and whether or not the Reds ruined his path to the big leagues, but that's neither here nor there. Barrero and Marte share some similarities, and Reds fans can only hope that their careers take different paths.

Barrero was yo-yo'd up and down between the major and minor leagues for several years. The uber-talented shortstop was a dynamite fielder with a plus-arm and plenty of power from the right side of the plate. But Barrero failed to figure out how to lay off the breaking pitches. Barrero's uncontrolled approach in the batters' box resulted in a career-strikeout rate of 36.5%. That's unsustainable at the major league level. This season with Cincinnati, Marte is striking out 31.4% of the time.

Barrero also had outstanding range and arm strength and was a natural shortstop. But there were times when Barrero just looked lost on the field and failed to make the routine play. During his Reds' career, Barrero was worth -7 defensive runs saved (DRS) at shortstop and -3 outs above average (OAA). This season, Marte has committed eight errors in less than 40 games played and is worth -4 DRS according to Fielding Bible.

Barrero failed to mature during his time with the Reds and Cincinnati eventually cut ties with their former top prospect. Marte still has two minor league options remaining and is still just 22 years old, so there's no need to hit the panic button just yet. But Reds fans would be lying if they said that they can't see any similarities between Barrero and Marte.

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