The 2026 Major League Baseball season is over. And the Cincinnati Reds did not qualify for the playoffs. But that does not mean that a handful of Reds won't be playing in October. They will just have to suit up in a Fall or Winter Ball instead of a Reds uniform.
Just because there won't be postseason baseball in the Queen City doesn't stop the Reds organization from sending players to winter ball to hone their skills. Baseball is a global sport, and highly competitive winter leagues start up soon.
Some of the winter leagues that could see participation from Reds organizational players are the Aussie Baseball League (ABL), the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP), the Mexican Pacific League (LMP), and the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM). The Reds have in the past sent players to these leagues to continue their development in the off-season.
In 2025, the Reds sent a lot of players to play in the winter leagues. In the Mexican Pacific League, minor leaguers Ichiro Cano and Yael Romero played. In the Aussie Baseball League, Drew Davies, Hansel Jimenez, Pablo Nunez, and Jirvin Morillo participated, and their teams made it to the final, with Drew Davies' Adelaide Giants being crowned champions. In the Dominican Winter League, Francisco Urbaez, Carlos Jorge, and Hector Rodriguez played a good chunk of the season in 2025/2026. This coming season has a couple of guys worth keeping tabs on.
This off-season, Alfredo Duno is going to suit up for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League , while Noelvi Marte is set to play for the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League. Reds Director of Player Personnel Jeremy Farrell said Duno was going to play winter ball, the Marte news was a bit of a surprise.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) and right fielder Noelvi Marte (4) celebrate a win after the ninth inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. The Reds completed a sweet of the Athletics with a 6-5 win. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Noelvi Marte was originally drafted by Gigantes del Cibao in the 2021 LIDOM Draft in the first round. This will be his fourth season playing for Gigantes, although he only played in 10 games in 2021-22 and 2022-23. This LIDOM season will be a great opportunity for Marte.
After a disappointing 2026 MLB season, Marte needs to get back on track. In 63 major league games, he hit .189 with 10 walks, 52 strikeouts, and a dismal OPS of .550. After figuring it out a bit in 2025, Marte is hoping to turn it around by having a strong Dominican Winter League season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Noelvi Marte Joins Growing List of Cincinnati Reds Players Heading to Dominican Winter League .
