Reds quietly seeing breakout signs from underrated offseason acquisition

The Cincinnati Reds' acquisition of Dane Myers in a post-Christmas trade with the Miami Marlins flew under the radar, but the speedy outfielder is making sure his name is known this spring.

Through 10 spring training games, Myers is just abusing opposing pitchers. He's hitting a prolific .350/.522/.650 (211 wRC+), walking at a comical rate (31.0%) and almost never striking out. There was a bit of a scare when Myers was scratched from the Reds' lineup earlier this week, but the team later confirmed that it was due to an illness, rather than any sort of injury.

Assuming he's healthy and gets a few more reps in before Opening Day, Myers has clearly gone from the roster bubble to a key piece of the Reds' outfield mix.

Dane Myers' spring training breakout may shift Reds' outfield plans

Myers' blue-chip skill has never been in question; he owns a career slash line of .297/.360/.456 against lefties, good for a 126 wRC+. However, his contributions aren't just one note. He stole 18 bases in 106 games last year, and he earned firmly positive marks for his work with the glove in center field — 3 outs above average (OAA) and 3 defensive runs saved (DRS).

That last fact could make him something of a surprise partner for TJ Friedl, rather than just an understudy. Friedl played in 152 contests last season as perhaps the most consistent member of the team, but he's not quite as good on defense (nor can he hit southpaws as well) as Myers.

There's also a chance — however remote — that the newcomer could push Noelvi Marte for playing time in right field. The 24-year-old is hitting well overall this spring (137 wRC+) but is striking out at a concerning rate and has looked lost in the field at times. His most recent performances have been much sturdier, but there's been questions about his job security this month.

Center field is where Myers will get most of playing time, though. While he could be a platoon option in left field for JJ Bleday (who historically hits righties well but really crushed southpaws last year) or Will Benson (career 101 wRC+ against right-handers), the most likely scenario will be Myers up the middle on occasion with Friedl pushed to left field.

No matter where he's playing on a given night, Myers is a fascinating weapon for Terry Francona to have at his disposal. Effectively Miguel Andújar's replacement on the roster, the versatile outfielder is looking the part of a regular starter this spring.