Home Baseball Reds infielder almost assured Rookie of the Year if this bold prediction comes true

Reds infielder almost assured Rookie of the Year if this bold prediction comes true

Baseball — 02/20/2024

That’s a high bar, even for a player with as much talent as Noelvi Marte.

Let Jim Bowden do the talking and provide Reds Country with some fodder. Yes, everyone’s favorite general manager of the Cincinnati Reds, who is now a contributor to The Athletic (subscription required), is back with some predictions for the 2024 campaign.

The 40 young MLB players and prospects that Bowden is most eager to scout during spring training are listed in one of his most recent entries. Naturally, Bowden spent several years as an employee of the Pittsburgh Pirates before coming to the Reds, where he was appointed general manager in 1992. Hence, even though Bowden is made fun of by Reds fans, he has watched a lot of baseball throughout the years.

Bowden lists Reds rookie third baseman Noelvi Marte as one of the young guys. If Marte receives at least 500 plate appearances in the following season, Bowden thinks he should be able to join the 20/20 club.

Reds infielder, Noelvi Marte, almost assured Rookie of the Year if this prediction comes true

That’s no easy task. Despite being highly anticipated during their debut seasons, neither Matt McLain nor Elly De La Cruz were able to join the 20/20 club. De La Cruz has 13 home runs and 35 stolen bases in 427 plate appearances. McLain recorded 16 home runs and 14 steals in 403 plate appearances before an oblique strain placed his season on the injured list.

A year ago, just three rookies hit 20 home runs and stole 20 bags. Corbin Carroll, the National League Rookie of the Year, was one, while Anthony Volpe and Nolan Jones were the other two. Three more rookies succeeded the year before. In 2022, Bobby Witt Jr., Michael Harris, and Julio Rodriguez all had 20/20 seasons. Four of the six players who have won Rookie of the Year the last three seasons have stolen 20 or more bases and hit at least 20 home homers.

There’s a strong possibility that Noelvi Marte will not only be mentioned in relation to Rookie of the Year, but he may win the title if he manages to gather 20 round-trippers and steal 20 or more bags. Marte would be the second Reds player to win the NL Rookie of the Year award in the last four years if he is successful. In 2021, Jonathan India won the prize.

The Reds fan base is hoping that Marte’s 16-game hitting run, which stopped at the end of the 2023 season, continues when he bats on Opening Day. Despite sustaining a hamstring strain during Winter Ball, Marte appears healthy and ready to go when spring training gets underway.