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Cincinnati Reds Infielder Noelvi Marte Returning to MLB Roster After PED Suspension

Noelvi Marte is ready to rejoin the Cincinnati Reds after getting suspended 80 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy back in March.

Sam Connon

Feb 19, 2024; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte fields a groundball during spring training workouts at Goodyear Ballpark.
Feb 19, 2024; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte fields a groundball during spring training workouts at Goodyear Ballpark. / Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports
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The Cincinnati Reds have welcomed infielder Noelvi Marte back from his rehab assignment, the team announced Wednesday morning.

The 22-year-old was suspended 80 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy back in March. At the time, Marte was pegged as the No. 1 prospect in the Reds' farm system and the No. 21 prospect in all of baseball.

In his 12-game rehab stint with Triple-A Louisville, which started on June 11, Marte hit .151 with two RBI, a stolen base and a .321 OPS.

Marte technically isn't eligible to hold a spot on the 26-man roster on Thursday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, so he will not be active against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

The Reds recalled right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft from Triple-A Louisville and optioned right-handed pitcher Yosver Zulueta to Triple-A Louisville ahead of Wednesday's series finale. Cincinnati will still need to remove another player from their 40-man roster when they do officially activate Marte on Thursday.

Had he not tested positive for Boldenone during Spring Training, Marte surely would have competed for a spot in Cincinnati's everyday lineup, considering his pedigree and brief taste of success last season.

Marte made his MLB debut in 2023, batting .316 with three home runs, 15 RBI, six stolen bases, an .822 OPS and a 0.8 WAR in 35 appearances. He is a .278 hitter with an .817 OPS in his minor league career, averaging 23 home runs, 99 RBI and 34 stolen bases per 162 games.

The Reds have gotten off to a 37-42 start without Marte, in addition to several other key young players the have missed in first half of the season.

Infielder Matt McLain, who finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, has been sidelined undergoing shoulder surgery in March. Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand went down with a right ulnar styloid fracture in May and is now scheduled to undergo season-ending wrist surgery on July 11.

With Marte back in the fold and McLain hopefully close behind him, Cincinnati has a chance to string together another playoff push in 2024. Despite being five games under .500, the Reds are just 3.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot with 83 games left on the slate.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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