Reds could rescue Noelvi Marte with bold experiment they've barely explored

Noelvi Marte is headed back to Triple-A and will presumably be in the Louisville Bats starting lineup on Tuesday, April 14. But where will he line up defensively? Seeing as how the Cincinnati Reds are essentially hitting the reset button with their decision to option Marte back to the minor leagues, now is the time to see if he has what it takes to stick in center field.

The Reds experimented with Marte in the middle of the outfield during spring training. While 15 of his 19 Cactus League starts came in right field — a position he learned on the fly in 2025 — he also started three games for the Reds in center field this spring.

At just 24 years old, there's plenty of time for Marte to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being a former top prospect, but his best path toward meaningful playing time in the big leagues could be as the Reds' starting centerfielder.

Noelvi Marte should be learning center field after Reds demotion

The Reds believe in Marte's athleticism. It's the biggest reason why he was moved from third base to right field midway through the 2025 season. (The addition of Gold Glover Ke'Bryan Hayes also forced the Reds to make move.) But with Rece Hinds on his way back to the big leagues, JJ Bleday clipping at his heels, and Hector Rodriguez emerging as well, Marte's chances of returning to right field are slim.

TJ Friedl, on the other hand, is barely clinging to his spot as the Reds' everyday centerfielder. Friedl is a fan-favorite in Cincinnati, but he's clearly not the same player he was earlier in his career. While his offense will likely come around as the season progresses, his defense is only going to get worse.

Friedl was worth -10 defensive runs saved (DRS) last season, and has been pushed over to left field late in games in order to get Dane Myers' glove into the mix. If Marte can make the transition and become a starting-caliber centerfielder, he could finally help solve one of the organization's biggest problems.

A player's athleticism, however, doesn't always translate into becoming an everyday contributor — especially at the big league level. Among other things, Marte must grasp a better understanding of the strike zone, cut down on his chase rate, and become a more disciplined hitter. That's a big ask, but at this stage of the game, what do the Reds have to lose?

Marte's robbery of Bryan Reynolds would-be home run last season and the bobblehead giveaway to commemorate that moment may have helped him land a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster. But his play and performance in the minor leagues will be what gets him back to the majors. The Reds might as well take advantage of the opportunity and see if he sinks or swims in center field.

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