A dramatic position switch unlocked Noelvi Marte's potential.
The Cincinnati Reds went 83-79 last season and clinched a Wild Card spot for the first time since 2020, so there is plenty of excitement heading into 2026.
A big part of that centers around 24-year-old Noelvi Marte, who is preparing for his first full season as an outfielder after making a midseason position switch in 2025.
Marte recently spoke with Jeremy Rauch of FOX19 about what the move to right field has meant to him.
He called his season-saving catch against the Pittsburgh Pirates last September "one of the most emotional moments of my career."
That play, a leaping grab that robbed Bryan Reynolds of a game-tying homer in the ninth inning, kept the Reds alive in their playoff push.
A Position Change That Changed Everything
For most of his career, Marte was an infielder.
He came up as a shortstop through the Seattle Mariners' system before Cincinnati acquired him in the 2022 Luis Castillo trade, and he settled in at third base.
The defense never clicked there, though.
He racked up errors and struggled with his throws, and by 2024 he was one of the worst-rated defensive third basemen in baseball according to Baseball Reference.
That all changed last July when Francona moved him to right field.
The results were hard to argue with.
In 54 games in right field, Marte posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with zero errors compared to five errors and a .936 fielding percentage at third.
Francona noticed the difference right away.
"The minute he went to the outfield, it just freed him up," Francona said.
The Bat Came Alive Too
The position switch did more than clean up Marte's defense, it also helped his offense. Marte has said that playing in the outfield gives him more time to think about his at-bats, and the numbers backed that up.
In 90 games last season he hit .263 with a .748 OPS, 14 home runs, 51 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
That was a big bounce-back from 2024 where he slashed just .210/.248/.301 after returning from an 80-game suspension.
Marte finished 2025 with a 1.4 WAR and a 99 OPS+, putting him right around league average.
For a player considered nearly unplayable the year before, that kind of progress matters.
What Comes Next in 2026
The Reds are banking on Marte taking another step this year.
Francona has made it clear that Marte is the everyday right fielder, and the team plans to give him reps in center field this spring to take advantage of his speed.
With the Reds looking to build on their playoff run and compete in the NL Central, Marte's growth is one of the biggest storylines in camp.
For the first time, Marte gets a full spring training to prepare for the position.
If his second-half surge from 2025 was just the start, the Reds could have a breakout star on their hands.