X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Noelvi Marte: Champ or Chump for Fantasy Baseball?

Is Noelvi Marte a fantasy baseball sleeper, bust, or neither? Is he a flash in the pan or will he thrive? Rick Lucks' deep dive into Marte's 2023 fantasy value.

It's hard to believe that shortstop was a weakness for the Cincinnati Reds coming into the season. Granted, nothing good is going to happen when Kevin Newman is Plan A and a bounceback from Jose Barrero is Plan B. Both of those plans predictably failed, but Plans C and D have been great.

First, Matt McLain received a big league callup and exceeded expectations. If he's not on your roster, you could have read about him here first. Next, Elly De La Cruz electrified baseball fans around the country with his unmatched tools. Now, the Reds are turning to a third young shortstop in Noelvi Marte.

Marte is 21 and the 24th-ranked prospect in the game per MLB Pipeline, but he's also a polarizing figure in the prospect community. Some see elite upside, while others see him more as a solid regular. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle, and he has a good chance of making an immediate fantasy impact. Let's take a closer look.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

No Scouting Consensus on Noelvi Marte

Noelvi Marte's scouting report is often described as "high variance" because there is no consensus on his raw tools. For our purposes, MLB Pipeline will represent scouts who are high on Marte's potential while FanGraphs will be the more conservative estimation.

MLB Pipeline gives Marte a 50-grade hit tool, 60-grade pop, and 55-grade wheels, creating a five-tool package with "superstar" written all over it. His scouting report further notes that "there are few prospects with more raw power than Marte," hinting at massive power potential that could take his profile to another level. The Reds' system is loaded, and Marte is still the best prospect in it.

FanGraphs disagrees. They see a 35-hit tool (50 in time), 30 game power (50), and 40 speed. His 60 raw power is expected to increase to 65 in the future but becomes irrelevant if Marte cannot access it in games. As a result, Marte is only fifth in Cincinnati's system and 71st overall.

Scouting is more art than science, and we shouldn't believe that one assessment is better than the other. Instead, we should look at his performance and see what his production might tell us about his raw tools.

 

The Fantasy-Friendly Production of Noelvi Marte

Marte is young, but it's fair to say he had a grueling 2022. First, he played winter ball. Then, he played a full minor league season that included switching organizations as a headline prospect in the Luis Castillo trade. With that done, he went to Germany to represent Team Spain in a WBC qualifier and then participated in the Arizona Fall League. He didn't look good in the AFL, but he was running on fumes by that point.

Marte was also very young for every level he's ever played in. This means that he has a built-in excuse for any unfavorable statistics. Despite that, his High Minors debut went quite well this year. He started the year at Double-A (Chattanooga), slashing .281/.356/.464 with eight homers and 10 steals in 222 PAs. His plate discipline was solid with a 9.9 BB% and 17.1 K% backed by a 10.9 SwStr%. His .309 BABIP looked completely reasonable.

Marte's 16% HR/FB hinted at the power potential mentioned in some scouting reports, but his 32.7 FB% was too low to take full advantage of it. On the bright side, he was only caught stealing twice for a success rate of about 83%.

The performance earned Marte a trip to Triple-A (Louisville), where he put up a virtually-identical line of .280/.365/.455 with three homers and eight steals across 167 PAs. His plate discipline improved to a 12 BB% and 18.6 K%, while his 11.4 SwStr% effectively remained unchanged despite more advanced competition. His .330 BABIP might look a little inflated, but the reason behind it is simple.

At Double-A, Marte posted a league-average 21.1 LD%. At Triple-A, it increased to 30.1%. He lost points in both FB% (28.3) and HR/FB (9.4), but the increased line drive rate meant he was elevating more total balls. Some of those liners will probably turn into flies moving forward, giving Marte more opportunities to take advantage of his raw power.

Marte was only caught stealing twice, giving him a success rate of 80%. He made his MLB debut as a pinch runner and successfully stole a base, so fantasy managers can count on his running game down the stretch.

All told, Marte has solid contact skills, good strike zone judgment, and above-average raw pop and speed. He understands how to steal a base and could be a minor swing adjustment away from unlocking huge power, giving him tantalizing upside.

 

Will Noelvi Marte Play?

Fantasy managers need players who play, and it's not hard to see an impending logjam in the Reds' infield. The team has committed to playing Marte every day at third base while Jonathan India is out with a foot injury. However, India's return will leave the team with two spots for Marte, McLain, and de la Cruz. In the short term, this is good as Marte will add 3B eligibility to the SS qualification he already carries in most leagues.

Once India comes back, there are two paths to keeping Marte in the lineup. India was on the trade block before the deadline, and he is now questioning how the team handled his injury. If the player and team have soured on each other, the Reds may bring India back in a bench role.

The better option is probably demoting Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Encarnacion-Strand's 1B-only defense and Joey Votto's presence on the roster force him to DH. He's on a full-season pace for 15 HR as a power-first bat and -0.1 fWAR, so it's not like he has to play. A lineup with Marte, McLain, de la Cruz, India, and Votto is likely better than any configuration with Encarnacion-Strand.

 

The Verdict on Noelvi Marte

Marte might not hit for power right away, but his contact skills and plate discipline should give him a solid floor. He should also steal a few bases, and no one on waivers this late in the season offers his upside. Marte is a Champ who should be rostered in a lot more than 12% of leagues.

 



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Player Profiles




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Los Angeles Chargers

Tre Harris Expected To Fill X Role For Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers

Quentin Johnston Needs To Earn His Spot In Training Camp
Los Angeles Chargers

Hassan Haskins The Leader For No. 3 RB Job
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Plan For 1-2 Punch At RB With Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris
New England Patriots

Patriots View TreVeyon Henderson As A Three-Down Back
Cleveland Browns

Browns View Quinshon Judkins As A Potential Bell-Cow Back
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Plan To Develop Jalen Milroe As A QB
Tennessee Titans

Titans Unlikely To Pick Up Treylon Burks' Fifth-Year Option
Cleveland Browns

Browns Apply Unrestricted Free-Agent Tender To Elijah Moore
Cleveland Browns

Browns Agree To One-Year Deal With Diontae Johnson
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Could Reunite With Amari Cooper
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Sign Robert Woods To One-Year Deal
Jimmy Butler III

Officially Active For Game 4
Isaiah Stewart

Uncertain For Game 5
Michael Porter Jr.

Expected To Play In Game 5
Brandon Nimmo

Has Career Game
Russell Westbrook

Questionable For Tuesday Night
Tyler Glasnow

Going On The Injured List
Jaylen Brown

Back On The Injury Report
Jrue Holiday

Out Again On Tuesday Night
Bennedict Mathurin

Questionable For Game 5
Damian Lillard

May Not Play Next Season
Luis Arraez

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Johnathan Kovacevic

To Remain Out Tuesday
Brenden Dillon

Unavailable Tuesday
Luke Hughes

Not Ready To Return For Game 5
Darius Garland

Remains Out On Monday
Ross Colton

Remains Out On Monday
Oskar Bäck

Oskar Back Returns To Stars Lineup Monday
Miro Heiskanen

To Miss Game 5
Jordan Westburg

Placed On Injured List
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go For Game 4
Cleveland Browns

Browns Decline Kenny Pickett's Fifth-Year Option
New York Giants

Giants Won't Pick Up Evan Neal's Fifth-Year Option
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Ikem Ekwonu
Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert Could Remain An Eagle
Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Could Still Add Wide Receiver Help Prior To 2025 Season
Cleveland Browns

Shedeur Sanders Struggled During Pre-Draft Process
Buffalo Bills

Elijah Moore Visiting With Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars

Emmanuel Ogbah Signs With Jaguars
New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr Undergoes MRI Exam
William Byron

Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Kyle Larson

Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Ian Machado Garry

Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Brad Keselowski

Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Carlos Prates

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Zhang Mingyang

Still Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Smith

Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
David Onama

Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Michel Pereira

Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Abus Magomedov

Extends His Win Streak
Nicolas Dalby

Gets Finished For The First Time
Randy Brown

Gets Back In The Win Column
Ikram Aliskerov

Gets First-Round TKO Finish At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Gets TKO'd At UFC Kansas City
Ivan Demidov

Has Historic Outing In Game 4
Timo Meier

Records Two Points Sunday
Andrei Svechnikov

Nets Hat Trick In Game 4 Win
Leon Draisaitl

Caps Off Four-Point Effort With First Postseason Overtime Goal
Connor Hellebuyck

Gets Pulled Again
Alexandre Carrier

Fails To Finish Game 4
Tyler Tucker

Makes Early Exit Sunday
Chase Elliott

Recovers from Speeding Penalty to Finish Fifth
Joey Logano

Finishes Last at Talladega After Disqualification for Missing Spoiler Brace
Ryan Preece

Loses Talladega Race First in Photo Finish Then in Post-Race Inspection
NASCAR

Poor Toyota Strategy Arguably Cost Bubba Wallace Winning Chances at Talladega
Christopher Bell

Unhurt After Hard Contact with Inside Retaining Wall
Joe Ryan

Posts Stellar Outing
Jaylen Brown

Available For Game 4
Nick Lodolo

Throws Seven Scoreless Innings
Tyler Glasnow

Removed Early On Sunday
Darius Garland

Questionable For Game 4
Jaden Ivey

Making Progress
Frederik Andersen

Exits Game 4 With Injury
Jake Neighbours

Shines On Sunday With Three Points
Jordan Binnington

Makes 30 Saves In Game 4 Victory
Patrik Laine

Not Expected To Play In Game 4
Sam Montembeault

Labeled Day-To-Day
Tarik Skubal

Racks Up 11 Strikeouts
Aliaksei Protas

Considered A Game-Time Decision Sunday
Logan Thompson

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Luke Weaver

In Line To Get The Bulk Of Save Opportunities Moving Forward
Devin Williams

Removed From Closer Role
Chase Elliott

Is One OF The Top Overall DFS Picks Of The Week
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano Finish A Race With A Top Finish At Talladega?
NASCAR

DFS Players Should Like Bubba Wallace For Talladega This Week
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Players Roster Christopher Bell At Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Talladega DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Is A Solid, Safe, DFS Choice For Talladega Lineups
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon A Viable DFS Play At Talladega This Week?
Josh Berry

Qualifies Too High At Talladega To Be Worth Rostering In DFS
Michael McDowell

Should DFS Players Take A Shot On Michael McDowell At Talladega?
Noah Gragson

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play For Talladega
Denny Hamlin

Probably Qualified Too Well for DFS Consideration
Kyle Larson

Increasingly Undervalued Due to His Crashing, but Still a Great DFS Option
Austin Hays

Smacks Two Homers On Saturday
Jorge Polanco

Goes Deep Twice On Saturday
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hits Four Homers On Saturday
Framber Valdez

Tosses Complete Game In A Loss To The Royals
Jackson Chourio

Nearly Hits For The Cycle
Jimmy Butler III

Ruled Out On Saturday
Isaiah Stewart

Questionable For Sunday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 4
Logan Evans

To Make MLB Debut On Sunday
Jrue Holiday

Won't Play On Sunday
Logan Gilbert

Heading To 15-Day Injured List
Mitchell Robinson

Questionable For Game 4 Versus Detroit
Michael Porter Jr.

Available On Saturday Night
Russell Westbrook

Won't Suit Up For Game 4
Ryan Mountcastle

Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle Not In Game 1 Lineup
Darius Garland

Won't Suit Up For Game 3
Darius Garland

Unavailable For Pregame Warmup
MLB

Yankees and Blue Jays Postponed On Saturday
Jordan Beck

Power Surge Continues, Homers Twice On Friday
Devin Williams

Blows Save On Friday, Yankees Make Temporary Move At Closer
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF