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Noelvi Marte 2024 Outlook: Big-Time Upside Blocked by Poor Decisions
1 year agoNoelvi Marte received the fewest PAs among Cincinnati's highly-regarded young shortstops in 2023, but the now 22-year-old still made his presence felt with a .316/.366/.456 triple slash line with three homers and six steals over 123 PAs. He performed similarly at two minor league stops, hitting .280/.365/.455 with three homers and eight steals over 167 PAs for Triple-A (Louisville) and .281/.356/.464 with eight homers and 10 SB over 222 PAs for Double-A (Chattanooga). With an 80% success rate on SB attempts and a Statcast Sprint Speed of 29.1 ft./sec, fantasy managers can count on the SBs moving forward. The power is more questionable considering Marte's 24.7 FB% and middling 7.9% rate of Brls/BBE, but his 94.5 mph average airborne exit velocity and 115.6 max exit velocity both suggest power potential. His home park and lineup are fantasy assets as well. The package would have been extremely enticing in fantasy if Marte didn't draw an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, but alas, he has. The Reds have enough infield talent to weather Marte's absence with aplomb, and he may not have an everyday role waiting for him upon his return. He's a clear avoid at his current ADP of 165.91.
