Reds' top 10 defensive plays of decade

CINCINNATI -- When putting together a top 10 list of Reds defensive plays of the 2010s, it’d be easy to simply make a compilation of the best Billy Hamilton moments from center field or all highlights of former second baseman Brandon Phillips.

The eye-popping plays by those two dynamic fielders certainly dominate the list.

Here is a closer look at the best of the past decade:

1. Hamilton climbs the wall for a catch
July 13, 2018

To end the seventh inning of a 9-1 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Hamilton scaled the fence to rob Matt Carpenter of a home run. The spectacular play had pitcher Amir Garrett standing with his arms folded and yelling in disbelief from the mound. Carpenter spiked his helmet in frustration for a homer lost, but he acknowledged the remarkable catch postgame.

“It was a great play, no doubt about it," Carpenter said.

2. Phillips ranges up the middle, makes big throw
June 17, 2011

Phillips won four Gold Gloves for the Reds, and this moment against the Blue Jays should stand as the best defensive play of his career. Phillips picked J.P. Arencibia’s ground ball past second base. From the edge of the outfield grass, he threw across his body for the out at first base. Complicating the play was a bird flying in front of the bouncing ball as Phillips snagged it during the Reds' 3-2 loss.

3. Hamilton crashes into wall for catch
Aug. 8, 2017

While on his back at the warning track, Hamilton couldn’t help laughing in amazement after he robbed the Padres’ Carlos Asuaje of extra bases with a basket catch as he banged into the center-field wall. Statcast data showed that Hamilton was playing shallow, with a starting position of 293 feet from home plate before he covered 106 feet while tracking the ball. The no-look grab with his back to the field required a nifty midflight adjustment. The Reds lost to the Padres, 7-3.

4. Schebler’s leaping catch at the wall
June 28, 2017

With runners on the corners and one out, right fielder Scott Schebler sprinted towards the fence, climbed up the wall and made the catch to rob Stephen Vogt and the Brewers of what would have been a three-run home run. Instead, it went for a sacrifice fly and Cincinnati won, 4-3.

5. Phillips flips it between his legs
May 3, 2011

When speedy Astros outfielder Jason Bourgeois hit a slow roller near second base in the third inning, Phillips only had one way to make the out. He fielded the ball barehanded and fired it between his legs to Votto at first base to get the out. Cincinnati went on to lose, however, by a 10-4 score. Watch here.

6. Two-percent chance of a catch
June 17, 2018

In the bottom of the first inning of the Reds' 8-6 win over the Pirates at PNC Park, Francisco Cervelli hit a two-out drive to deep right-center field. Hamilton reacted quickly and sprinted towards the wall before laying out to make a diving snowcone catch on the warning track. According to Statcast, the play had only a two percent catch probability, as Hamilton covered 83 feet of ground in 4.3 seconds and reached a sprint speed of 30.1 feet per second.

7. Iglesias dazzles with glove work
April 10, 2019

Shortstop José Iglesias could have probably filled this entire list also, just from his one season in Cincinnati. In this 2-1 win against the Marlins, Iglesias had quite a night with two stunning defensive plays and the game-tying home run. In his first defensive gem to rob Starling Castro, Iglesias made a diving stop to his left and flipped the ball with his glove to second base to start the inning-ending double play. Later, the bases were loaded with two outs in the second inning when Iglesias darted across the infield to scoop up a slow grounder from Curtis Granderson and toss the ball to first baseman Joey Votto while on the run for the third out.

8. Suarez’s big night
Aug. 13, 2015

Before Eugenio Suárez became an All-Star third baseman, he started out as a slick-fielding shortstop. During a 10-3 win at Dodger Stadium where he was 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, Suárez also made a spectacular stop on defense. Suarez went to his knees to stop a sharp grounder from Andre Ethier, stepped on second base and threw to first base for a double play.

9. Hamilton does it all defensively
June 10, 2018

This is a 4-for-1 deal where it’s too hard to pick just one play from this game. Hamilton made two great catches at the wall in addition to nabbing two assists by throwing out baserunners trying to advance during a 6-3 win over the Cardinals at GABP.

10. Cozart stops scorcher with a dive
May 9, 2016

As the Reds clung to a one-run lead in the eighth inning of a 3-2 win over the Pirates, shortstop Zack Cozart made a nice diving stop on a hard-hit ball near the middle by Starling Marte, got up quickly and threw him out by a half step.