This Reds non-roster guest brings a skill the team haven’t had since Billy Hamilton

The Cincinnati Reds struggled to add consistent speed and hitting to their roster. Could the unlisted guest Allen Cordoba to be that guy? The 26-year-old signed a contract with the minor leagues during the offseason.

The best attribute of Cordoba’s arsenal is its speed. Last season, the Reds were last in the league in stolen goals with 36. The baseline runners were downed by opposing receivers 22 times, which was good enough for the league’s 12th. The Reds were also at the bottom of the pack (27th) in treble last season.

With talent (Tucker Barnhart, Michael Lorenzen and Wade Miley) losing early in the offseason and teams scrambling at the last minute to make additions before the MLB lockout, Córdoba’s addition was a big deal. interesting signature. The former Padre played for a year in the majors and struggled in his only season in the major leagues.

The Panama native appeared in 100 games in 2017. During that year Cordoba reached .208 with four home runs, two doubles, two triples and 15 RBIs. Unfortunately, Cordoba’s OPS of .579 is a bit uninspiring, as is its wRC + of just 55.

Since these 100 games he spent with the Padres in 2017, Cordoba has been in the minors. Last season, Córdoba was part of the Minor League’s Double-A all-star team where he reached .299 with five homers and 38 RBIs. He also had 20 doubles, a triple and six steals.

Allen Córdoba’s best season came in 2019 with an impressive 32 stolen goals and a .301 batting average. He also recorded five round trips and drove 43 races while. Add to that a wRC + of 118 and 20 twin-baggers, and Córdoba has the makings of a solid spinning flyer.

Cordoba is also a solid defensive player with a career defensive percentage of .933. All of Cordoba’s departures last season came on first and third, despite having spent most of his major season in the outfield.

What excites me the most about Allen Córdoba is that he has a solid swing and has the speed to make a difference on basic trails. I think with the help of Cincinnati Reds batting coach Alan Zinter, Cordoba, he could really be a productive utility player.