Reds’ forgotten midseason pickup is making it impossible to ignore his bat

If the Cincinnati Reds are searching for some pop in the middle of their lineup — and they should be — maybe the answer is sitting down at Triple-A Louisville. One of the Reds' underrated midseason pickups, Ryan Vilade, is on fire at the moment.

Vilade, who was claimed over waivers earlier this season after playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, has already been called up once. The 26-year-old was part of the Reds' 8-1 win over the San Diego Padres back on June 27. Vilade came on as a defensive replacement late in the game (took some heat for failing to catch a fly ball that would've preserved Nick Martinez's no-hitter) and was then optioned back to Triple-A shortly thereafter.

Since returning to the Louisville Bats lineup, however, Vilade has been unstoppable. While playing a variety of different positions, including first, second, and third base as well as both corner outfield spots, Vilade is hitting .269/.330/.615 with seven home runs and 15 RBI.

Reds' midseason pickup Ryan Vilade is pushing for a call-up

Since the All-Star break, only three Reds players (Tyler Stephenson, Austin Hays, and Spencer Steer) have even hit more than one round-tripper, and Steer's 11 RBI lead the team since the Midsummer Classic. There's reason to believe that adding Vilade's bat to the lineup could help.

Though not a household name, Vilade is no slouch. He was taken the second-round of the 2017 MLB Draft, before the likes of Mark Vientos, Tyler Freeman, and Daulton Varsho. While Vilade's numbers dipped during the month of June, he's posted an OPS above .815 in every other month this season. Vilade doesn't necessarily have great plate discipline, but when he connects, the ball goes a long way.

Vilade is on the 40-man roster and has minor-league options remaining. His versatility makes him an easy match for any roster, regardless of who the Reds might choose to send down. With the presence of sure-handed Ke'Bryan Hayes at third base, Cincinnati could afford to option Santiago Espinal back to the minors in order to call up Vilade.

Not many Reds fans expected that this could've (or should've) been an option, but given the Reds' lack of run production, now is as good a time as any to swing for the fences. It may be unconventional, but adding Vilade to the active roster could give Cincinnati that pop they're missing.

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