SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jake Fraley’s motto this spring has been to stay present in the moment and not worry too much about the future. But with a wide-open competition in left field, it's hard to not look ahead to Opening Day.
Fraley slugged a two-run home run to right-center field and finished 2-for-3 in the Reds' 8-7 loss to the Rangers at Surprise Stadium on Saturday. One of the players in the March 2022 trade that sent All-Stars Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez to the Mariners, he’s found much more success at the plate since joining the Reds. Fraley struggled at the plate in April and spent three months on the injured list, but he batted .283 with an .876 OPS after returning on July 30, finishing the ‘22 season with a .259 average and 12 home runs.
“Anytime that you're in a trade with guys of the caliber of Suárez and Winker, it's such a huge deal,” Fraley said. “Anytime you have a team that wants you a part of what they're doing, it's a huge deal. There are only a limited amount of spots in the big leagues. So for that, it's a blessing that I was very excited.”
Fraley’s performance in the latter half of last year certainly put him on MLB’s radar, but so has the work he’s been putting in this spring, with a .375 average and 10 RBIs. A standout spring to follow a successful 2022 is what he needs, especially with players like Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild and TJ Friedl eyeing a spot in Cincinnati's outfield on Opening Day.
“He's really improving on a daily basis as an overall baseball player.” manager David Bell said. “He's just in a really good place.”
Fraley’s hitting is the most advanced part of his skill set, so he’s spent most of the time in the offseason and Spring Training working on the small details of baserunning and defense, areas he has struggled with in the past.
“I'm just a person that's going to be as consistent as I can possibly be,” Fraley said. “I want to be the guy that everybody can count on to be the same guy every day, no matter what's going on with myself individually or what's going on with the team.”
Votto and Senzel get Minor League at-bats
Joey Votto and Nick Senzel participated in games at the Reds’ Minor League camp on Friday and Saturday. It was Votto’s first time back in the batter’s box since August, when he had major surgery to repair a torn left rotator cuff and biceps. Bell said Votto felt great, but there is still no timeline for his return to the Majors. The 39-year-old has said before that he is working toward being fully healthy rather than returning as soon as possible.
As for Senzel, who fractured his left big toe late last season, Bell said he’s expected to see Cactus League action early next week.
Versatile Solak sent down
Among the flurry of moves the Reds made on Saturday, Nick Solak’s option to Triple-A Louisville was a move that stood out. Once the Rangers' No. 5 prospect and a 2016 second-round MLB Draft pick by the Yankees, he’s still trying to find his footing with the Reds after being acquired from the Rangers in November. Solak’s four years of MLB experience playing five positions with Texas adds to his value, but he struggled this spring, going 2-for-20 with eight strikeouts over 10 Cactus League games.
“He’s very valuable,” Bell said. “I think it’s a good fit for him to be in our organization. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he’s in the Major Leagues with us soon.”