Reds infielder Kyle Farmer has played better at third base than he did at shortstop

It was surely a blow to Kyle Farmer's competitive spirit when he was moved from shortstop to third base in favor of Jose Barrero. After all, after having a terrific minor league campaign in 2021, Barrero had struggled mightily at Triple-A in 2022.

But the Cincinnati Reds, with their eyes on the future, made the decision to roll with the up-and-coming infielder over the remainder of the 2022 season. Barrero's glove certainly plays at the major league level, but his bat has lagged behind.

Still, it would appear that the Reds will continue to give Barrero's at-bats for the remainder of this year and probably into 2023 with hopes of things finally clicking. Farmer has taken the decision in stride and has played very well of late. In all honesty, Farmer has been better at the plate and in the field since making the move to third base.

Reds infielder Kyle Farmer has played very well since moving to 3B.

Since making the move from shortstop to third base, Kyle Farmer is hitting .302/.333/.434 with a wRC+ of 108. Prior to the move, Farmer slashed .251/.325/.373 with a wRC of 91 according to FanGraphs.

Even on the defensive end, Farmer has been a better third baseman than he was a shortstop. The 32-year-old has 1 defensive run saved while manning the hot corner compared to -1 DRS at shortstop this season. According to Baseball Savant, Farmer was worth -4 outs above average at shortstop this season, but 1 OAA while playing third base.

There will be some questions surrounding Kyle Farmer's future with the Cincinnati Reds heading into the offseason. While it's unlikely the Reds will non-tender or trade Farmer, there are some up-and-coming prospects who will look to unseat the veteran next spring. Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Spencer Steer will all be looking to secure a spot on the 2023 Reds Opening Day roster.

But that's not new territory for Kyle Farmer. The veteran has had to fight and claw throughout his career to maintain his spot on a major league roster. For now, Farmer's play speaks for itself; he should be the 2023 Cincinnati Reds Opening Day starter at third base.