The Cincinnati Reds have recently added former Oakland A’s outfielder Conner Capel to their roster by signing him to a minor league contract with an invitation to the Major League camp.
Capel, originally drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, later joined the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Oscar Mercado deal.
His tenure with the Cardinals ended in the latter part of the 2022 season when he was designated for assignment and subsequently picked up by the A’s.
In the limited 13 games he played with the A’s towards the end of the season, Capel demonstrated a strong performance, boasting a .371 batting average by going 13-for-35, along with a .425 on-base percentage through four walks.
Despite earning a spot on the A’s Opening Day roster in 2023, he faced challenges with a high strikeout rate of 28.8%, leading to his option to Triple-A in early May.
Capel’s versatility in the outfield is highlighted by his arm strength, ranked in the 93rd percentile by Baseball Savant.
Although the A’s primarily stationed him in the corners last season, his defensive metrics showed room for improvement, with -2 Outs Above Average in right field and league-average performance in left field during limited playing time.
Breaking into the Reds’ outfield rotation may prove challenging, given the strong presence of TJ Friedl and Spencer Steer in two of the three positions.
However, if Capel manages to secure regular playing time, his impressive batting skills, as demonstrated in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, could lead to notable achievements and enhance his overall performance statistics.
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