Still, his mindset this spring is “I’m never going to lay back and go through the motions. I need to continue working and prove myself that I belong,” he said via interpreter Eric Gonzalez.
Marte has as much talent as any Reds’ hitter outside of Elly De La Cruz. Marte has the ability to hit for average, hit for power and use his speed. He carried the Reds’ offense for a stretch last August, and he has the potential to be a playmaker in right field.
Consistency is going to be the key for the 24-year-old.
“We want him to be a really good right fielder,” manager Terry Francona said. “If he is, we’re a better team. Saying that, he has to be our best right fielder. That’s stating the case for everywhere. We certainly think he’s capable of it. I do think there’s some more to show. We’ve told him that.”
Last spring, Marte responded to Francona’s message well and delivered a bounce back season. After posting a .549 OPS in 2024, Marte’s OPS in 2025 was .748. He only played in 90 big league games, but he hit at a 25 homer pace over 162 games.
Marte’s success led to a promotion to the No. 2 spot in the lineup, and he hit in that prime position down the stretch last season.
“He showed a lot of maturity,” Reds closer Emilio Pagán said. “No one has ever questioned the talent. The ability. The natural baseball instincts. The foot speed. The arm strength. The pop in the bat. The year before was a tough year for him. He showed mental growth. The way he approaches preparing for a game. You saw it was in there.”
Marte has had some ups and downs in spring training games this year, especially defensively. The Reds also have the best outfield depth that they’ve had in years. Will Benson and JJ Bleday have upside, and they also have track records of being impact big league outfielders. Francona hasn’t officially named a right fielder yet for Opening Day.
“We have great teammates and athletes in the outfield,” Marte said. “We have plenty of competition. I’m going to do my best.”
The Reds have identified some key areas for Marte to improve.
They’ve been working with him on his first step in the outfield. Marte was a shortstop and a third baseman for his entire career up until last July. He’s still building up his ability to run precise routes in the outfield as he catches fly balls. He also has to improve against left-handed pitching. In 2025, his batting average against lefties was a mere .232.
If Marte progresses in those areas in spring training and then heading into the season, he’ll be in a great spot this year. If he doesn’t develop, then Benson and Bleday could have a case for more playing time in 2026.
“It’s about consistency,” Marte said. “You’ve got to be consistent. Do everything to help the team.
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