Reds roster surprise has Noelvi Marte suddenly fighting for his job

Noelvi Marte has been penciled in as the Cincinnati Reds starting right fielder since spring training began last month. A former top prospect in the Reds organization, Marte made the switch from third base to right field midway through the 2025 season and has been lauded by the coaching staff for making such a seamless transition.

But the spring competition for the final few spots on the Reds Opening Day roster has been fierce. Will Benson, Rece Hinds, and JJ Bleday have all made their case to leave Arizona with a ticket for Cincinnati, and one has to wonder if Marte's spot on the roster is still as secure as fans once assumed.

Noelvi Marte may not have a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster

Spring training stats are not the end-all, be-all when coaches and managers are making their final cuts, but they also can't be ignored. Through his first nine Cactus League games, Marte is just 6-for-26 (.231/.259/.462) with four extra-base hits.

The trio of Benson, Hinds, and Bleday, however, have been three of Cincinnati's top performers this spring. In nine games, Benson has three home runs and a 1.074 OPS. Hinds has three round trippers of his own and a .455/.500/1.045 slash line in 22 at-bats. Bleday has a .953 OPS through his first nine games with two homers and six RBI.

All signs point to TJ Friedl and Dane Myers being part of the Reds Opening Day roster. It's assumed that Spencer Steer will take on a jack-of-all-trade role in 2026, and see time all over the diamond. Jose Trevino will be Cincinnati's backup catcher, and most observers assume Nathaniel Lowe has locked up a spot on the Opening Day roster.

If Marte's place on the roster is as secure as it was once assumed, then Benson, Hinds, and Bleday are all fighting for one spot. But Marte's made two errors in the outfield already this spring, and his track record against left-handed pitchers raises serious concerns about his ability to be an everyday starter for Cincinnati in 2026.

Before camp began, there were questions about whether or not Marte would be hitting second in the batting order. But the conversation has shifted, and now it'll be interesting to see if he even makes the cut. There's still plenty of time for Marte to ingratiate himself to the Reds coaching staff, but Benson, Hinds, and Bleday will have that same opportunity.