The Reds announced this morning that they’ve signed outfielder/first baseman Nicky Delmonico to a minor league contract. The CAA client will be in Major League camp for Spring Training.
Delmonico, 28. has appeared in the big leagues with the White Sox in each of the past four seasons but has not recaptured the form he showed in a promising rookie campaign back in 2017. The former Orioles and Brewers prospect batted .262/.373/482 in 166 plate appearances during that excellent showing, but he’s managed just a .210/.287/.346 output in 408 trips to the plate over the three subsequent seasons.
Cincinnati already has a relatively crowded outfield mix, with Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel, Nick Castellanos, Shogo Akiyama, Aristides Aquino and Mark Payton among the options at the big league level. Delmonico could give them a left-handed bat off the bench or a depth option to stash at the Triple-A level, where he’s a career .262/.345/.424 hitter in 824 plate appearances.