The Reds introduced that infielder/outfielder Ryan Vilade has been claimed off waivers from the Cardinals, and Vilade was optioned to Triple-A. To create roster house, Cincinnati designated outfielder Jacob Hurtubise for task.
St. Louis designated Vilade two days in the past, after Vilade had appeared in seven video games throughout a quick stint on the Playing cards’ roster. Signed to a minor league contract in December, Vilade hit a formidable .280/.375/.476 over 192 plate appearances with Triple-A Memphis to earn a variety to the Cardinals’ energetic roster on the finish of Could, although he had just one hit in 15 PA on the Playing cards’ energetic roster.
To some extent, this has been the story of Vilade’s professional profession, as he had a .141/.200/.188 slash line in 71 PA over 27 profession video games within the majors with the Rockies, Tigers, and Cardinals. His profession .272/.353/.406 slash in 2093 Triple-A appearances is far more spectacular, but it hasn’t stood out fairly sufficient for Vilade to get a lot in the way in which of standard enjoying time within the Present, nor has he hit anyplace close to nicely sufficient to capitalize on his small pattern.
Whereas Vilade has performed solely as an outfielder and in a single single sport as a primary baseman within the majors, he has some expertise in any respect 4 infield positions, together with time as a primary, second, and third baseman with Memphis this yr. This expanded defensive repertoire looks as if a logical means for Vilade to enhance his usefulness to huge league groups, and it’d assist him earn some bench time on a Reds workforce that’s considerably unsettled in groups of on a regular basis regulars. Particularly, Vilade’s right-handed bat may assist him develop into a complement inside a Reds outfield overloaded with left-handed hitters.
That crowded outfield could have factored into the restricted enjoying time that Hurtubise acquired in his first two MLB seasons, although the left-handed hitter has batted solely .167/.291/.212 over 83 PA within the bigs. This season, he made the Reds’ Opening Day roster however didn’t final lengthy earlier than being optioned, after which briefly returned to the majors in Could.
An undrafted free agent for the Reds in 2020 (the yr of the pandemic-shortened five-round draft), Hurtubise reached Triple-A for the primary time in 2023, however his numbers at Cincinnati’s prime affiliate have gone steadily downward during the last three years. He has hit simply .144/.336/.186 in 133 PA in Louisville this season, making him an expendable piece on the Reds’ 40-man roster regardless of some large velocity and base-stealing capacity (124 steals in 147 possibilities in his minor league profession). Hurtubise can’t reject an outright task, so he would stay within the Reds’ group if he clears waivers.
