The Cincinnati Reds added organizational depth earlier this week when they signed veteran outfielder Dominic Fletcher to a minor league deal.
Fletcher last appeared in a major league game in 2025, playing in 12 games with the Chicago White Sox .
This season, he appeared in 63 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates ' Triple-A affiliate, slashing an impressive .301/.386/.485 with 22 extra-base hits, including eight home runs.
In August, he exercised a release clause in his contract, allowing him to leave the Pirates and sign with the Reds.
Fletcher has appeared in 112 games in the majors and is slashing .233/.280/.325 with 23 extra-base hits. He can play all three outfield positions.
Mar 6, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Dominic Fletcher (26) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Similar to the Orlando Arcia signing, this move gives the Reds additional organizational depth and provides another option to turn to if injuries arise.
Fletcher is unlikely to have a big role with the Reds, but if injuries happen in the outfield, it wouldn't be surprising to see him get the call in the last month of the season.
The 29-year-old was drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks .
Sep 5, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) celebrates with second baseman Matt McLain (9) after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
For as much attention as Elly De La Cruz receives, his performance this season may actually be flying under the radar.
De La Cruz currently ranks first among MLB shortstops in OPS and wRC+, while ranking second in WAR, fourth in home runs and stolen bases and 10th in Outs Above Average. His production isn't just impressive compared to other shortstops, either. De La Cruz ranks fourth among all MLB position players in WAR.
The season isn't even over yet, and it already ranks among the best by a Reds position player since 1999.
De La Cruz has accumulated 5.2 fWAR this season, which ranks as the 12th-best single-season mark by a Reds position player since 1999. He's also on the list with his breakout 2024 campaign, when he finished with 6.8 fWAR, the third-highest mark during that span.
With about a month left in the season, De La Cruz has a chance to continue climbing a list dominated by some of the best Reds players of the past quarter-century.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Cincinnati Reds Sign Veteran Outfielder to Minor League Deal .
