What happened to Noelvi Marte? Reds slugger a late scratch after he was struck in the face during warmups

Cincinnati Reds slugger Noelvi Marte was a late scratch in Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was playing catch on the field when he was hit in the face with the ball.

Marte was in conversation with Tyler Stephenson and not paying attention when Elly De La Cruz threw him the ball. Right after Cruz let go of the ball, he knew what would happen, but it was far too late.

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Marte was a bloody mess as the training staff rushed to the field with a towel. It looked like the ball struck him in the nose/mouth region, which is the last place you want to be hit.

The game was delayed as the Reds had to figure out what they would do with Noelvi Marte out of the lineup. He was originally scheduled to play third base. However, the team moved Spencer Steer to third, and Alejo Lopez got the start at second.

Noelvi Marte could be a problem in the league for years to come

Noelvi Marte signed with the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent in 2018. He would stay in Seattle until 2022 when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. Marte was a part of the deal that sent Luis Castillo to the Mariners.

After Elly De La Cruz was called up, Marte became the team's top prospect. He is considered to have some of the most raw power out of any other prospect.

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Marte has an excellent understanding of the strike zone with a patient approach. He will wait for his pitch to drive and does not swing at stuff out of the zone that often.

Marte is a young player who is still developing into the player he wants to be. The future is bright for this young slugger.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom