2025 Fantasy Baseball: Noelvi Marte, CIN
The Reds shelved Matt McLain on the injured list last night, sidelined by a hamstring tweak that’s kept him out of the starting lineup since last Friday. He’s officially been down for three days, setting up a potential return against Seattle at home on April 17th. To fill the gap, Cincinnati called up Noelvi Marte, a prized prospect who’s been sharp in his first nine AAA games this year—going 12-for-34 with six runs, five RBIs, and three steals. During that stretch, he drew four walks and struck out six times. In the minors this season, he’s logged time at second base (three games), third base (eight), and shortstop (two), though fantasy eligibility in most formats pegs him solely at third to start 2025.
Marte got a 66-game taste of the majors with the Reds in 2024, but the results were lackluster: a .210 average, 24 runs, four homers, 18 RBIs, and nine steals across 229 at-bats, dragged down by a hefty 30.1% strikeout rate. His AAA campaign that year began with an 80-game PED suspension, a rocky start to his pro journey. Initially signed by the Mariners out of the Dominican Republic at 17 in 2019, Marte’s minor-league track record over six seasons is solid—.279 with 299 runs, 56 homers, 245 RBIs, and 86 steals in 1,589 at-bats. His 10.7% walk rate has been a consistent plus, and his 20.3% strikeout rate beats the minor-league average.
In 2023, he kicked off at AA with Cincinnati, delivering steady output: .281 with 37 runs, eight homers, 25 RBIs, and 10 steals in 186 at-bats. Bumped up to AAA, he held his own—.280 with 31 runs, 20 RBIs, and eight steals—but his power dipped (three homers). Still, he sharpened his plate discipline, trimming his strikeout rate to 17.5% and holding a 10.8% walk rate. With just 230 at-bats at AAA (.261, 40 runs, three homers, 27 RBIs, 12 steals), his high-level experience is thin. Pair that with a shaky MLB showing so far (.245, 39 runs, seven homers, 33 RBIs, and 15 steals in 343 at-bats), and Marte’s easy to overlook—especially with a tight window to prove himself in Cincinnati.
He’s got pedigree and upside, making him a sensible stash in NL-only fantasy leagues on talent alone. He’s a buy-and-hold name to monitor in deeper formats, while 10- and 12-team leagues should wait for him to show something concrete on the field.