Getty Images
Outfielder Jay Bruce of the Cincinnati Reds has been on a tear as of late, hitting .455 over the last seven days. Despite his tear, Bruce still hitting .243, well below anything acceptable given his contract. His name has been subject of trade rumors which make Wednesday’s roster move intriguing, as the Reds announced they have promoted OF Kyle Waldrop to Triple-A Louisville.
Waldrop, the Reds’ no. 12 prospect, played right field for Double-A Pensacola where he hit .277 in 65 games. He was always believed to have the power, but has proven this season to have the ability to hit for average as well. This would make him an upgrade from Bruce. Could this promotion be a move to prepare him to replace Bruce? It could be.
In fact, it would not shock me if that was the case. Cincinnati’s no. 2 prospect Jesse Winker has struggled while in Pensacola, which could prompt the Reds to promote Waldrop to the big leagues first. If Bruce is traded at this season’s deadline, the Reds will likely have a platoon take over for the remainder of the season. During this time, they will have Waldrop playing in Triple-A to better prepare himself for the big leagues.
The Reds hope he can continue developing and prove he can hit for average not only in Triple-A, and hopefully in the big leagues as well. In the end all the Reds can do is wait and hope that this promotion is a step closer to a productive career for their potential outfielder.
Chad Troyan is a baseball and football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChadTroyan15, “Like”him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
