The 29-year-old Myers, a Ballengee Group client, was drafted by the Tigers as a pitcher in 2017. He was converted to hitter in 2019 and spent a few more seasons in the Tigers system before the Marlins selected him in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft. He made his major league debut with Miami in July 2023. In 511 plate appearances in 172 games from 2023-25, Myers hit .245/.299/.354 with a strikeout percentage of 25.8% against a walk rate of 6.5%, while providing serviceable outfield defense. However, this is accompanied by quite a few injuries. In 2024 he missed two months with a left ankle fracture. This year, he made two separate trips to the injured list due to right oblique strains and finished the year on the IL with a right knee tear.
When he was on the field this year, Myers earned 333 PA and played 752 2/3 innings in all three outfield spots, mostly in center field. He lowered his strikeout rate from 33.3% in 2024 to 23.1% in 2025, while also racking up 18 stolen bases. However, that coincided with a loss of power. His slugging percentage dropped from .442 to just .326, and his ISO also dropped from .179 to .091. Overall, Myers hit .235/.291/.326 with six home runs this year and just a 72 wRC+, a disappointment considering he posted a 113 wRC+ in 2024 (albeit in a limited sample).
Defensively, Myers has improved year over year. He was worth -3 Defensive Runs Saved in 155 1/3 outfield innings in 2023, but 1 DRS in 222 innings in 2024. This year he played 752 2/3 innings in the field and was worth 3 DRS, as well as 2 Outs Above Average. His arm strength is his real calling card, according to Statcast he ranks in the 97th percentile. Myers also has excellent range thanks to his 76th percentile sprint speed.
The trade for Myers gives the Reds a cheap defensive specialist who could fill a platoon role against left-handed pitching. TJ Friedl is the incumbent player in midfield. He had a 109 wRC+ this year and was worth 2.9 fWAR despite being a liability in the field (-10 DRS). His offense is enough to keep him as a starter in the middle. Meanwhile, a combination of Noëlvi Marte, Will Benson, Gavin Luxand the recently signed JJ Bleday will occupy the outfield corners. It is striking that Marte is the only one of that bunch who bats right-handed. Myers had a 119 wRC+ in 117 PA against lefties this year, so he could help balance the lineup from the right side.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old O’Donnell was a sixth-round draft pick of the Reds in 2023. He joins the Marlins system after a 2025 season at the Double-A level. In 503 PA in 125 games for the Reds affiliate in Chattanooga, he had a line of .236/.327/.325 with a 90 wRC+. He struck out 25.6% of the time, but showed good plate discipline with a 10.7% walk rate. O’Donnell has shown above-average speed and strength in previous seasons, so he could improve with another year at Double-A.
As for Richardson, the 25-year-old was a second-round pick by the Reds in 2018. He made his big league debut in 2023 and has logged 55 innings with a 6.05 ERA in 39 appearances (four starts) from 2023 to 2025. He stepped up a bit this year, pitching to a 4.54 ERA in 37 2/3 innings out of the Reds’ bullpen. He faced groundballs at an above-average rate of 53.8%, but that was offset by a lack of strikeouts (only 17.4%) and a 46.2% hard hit rate against him. Richardson has less than a year of service left but is out of options. If he is not claimed due to waivers, his contract will need to be selected to get another shot in the majors.
Photo courtesy of Raymond Carlin III, Imagn Images
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