This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH -- With a combination of instinct, athleticism and some quick learning, Noelvi Marte has taken to right field very well for the Reds.
Marte, who struggled with errors as a third baseman going back to last season, made his first start in right field on July 20 -- before the position became his home after the July 30 acquisition of former Gold Glove-winning third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Cincinnati is more than pleased with Marte's results to this point.
“From the get-go, I thought he looked really comfortable out there. I do think the more things that get thrown at him will help," manager Terry Francona said. "He has all the tools and it just seems like this is a really good fit for him.”
Francona opined that Marte -- a natural shortstop -- might be feeling less pressure playing in right field than what he felt while struggling to master third base.
The 23-year-old Marte confirmed that thought.
“Absolutely, yeah," Marte said via translator Tomas Vera. "The pressure is going down. Because when you’re in the infield, you have to be attentive to everything in all the anticipation of the plays. I’ve got to grab the ball, step and throw or get it and cut the ball and play for the double play. So there’s a bunch of stuff that you have to do, pre-setting in the infield. When you’re in the outfield, you have to just catch the ball.”
Marte started shagging balls in the outfield on the days leading up to the All-Star break before getting game action. He has worked closely with first base/outfield coach Collin Cowgill on the nuances of right field, including how to read balls off the bat and take routes.
But even if he doesn't read a ball well or take the perfect route, Marte has shown enough speed and athleticism to make up for it and get to the ball.
"A lot of guys don’t have that kind of make-up speed, especially in the corners," Cowgill said. “He seems to be a natural so far. I think the most important part about the transition is just how hard he’s worked at it. He hasn’t missed a day of shagging at BP or drill work. He’s excited. He’s coachable.
“He’s kind of taking it by storm out there with his instincts, his ability to be coached and to listen. He’s excited about the opportunity out there. That’s feeding into it.”
Some nifty plays have already been made. In the fifth inning of Wednesday afternoon's loss vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Marte made a nice catch in foul territory, snatching the ball before it hit the sidewall by the seats.
Before the series, Cowgill and Marte had discussed the quirks of Wrigley Field, including the swirling winds and lack of foul territory.
“He said, ‘Papi, I remembered what you told me. Don’t go too far to the line. Let it come back.’ If you overcommit at Wrigley with no foul ground, lots of times that ball pushes back and lands fair," Cowgill said.
Said Marte: "If you make a play like that at Wrigley, you can make it an easy play somewhere else.”
During the sixth inning of Thursday's 7-0 loss to the Pirates, Marte had an assist when he cut down Andrew McCutchen with a throw to the plate as he was trying to score on a two-out single by Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
“I’m blessed at being able to continue playing and to be there," said Marte, who entered Sunday batting .277/.320/.482 with seven home runs in 48 games this season. "I always hear that when you play in the infield, it makes it easier to play in the outfield. I believe it is. I’m enjoying it. I’m having fun. It’s been easy, compared to what I was doing before.”
Marte has also learned another useful skill that comes with being an outfielder -- dealing with hecklers yelling at him from their seats in opposing ballparks. He didn't get much of that as a third baseman.
In this instance, the language barrier has helped.
“Sometimes, I feel glad that I don’t understand everything they say to me," Marte said with a laugh. "I understand they’re getting on me, but I just keep playing my game. It’s fine.”