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For a former first-round pick, Alex Blandino has largely become a forgotten man for the Reds.
The 29th overall selection in the 2014 draft from Stanford, Blandino never quite panned out to be the college hitter who would quickly rise through the system to the major leagues. After hitting a developmental snag at Double-A and changing positions from shortstop to second and third base, he didn’t make his major-league debut until 2018 when Eugenio Suárez fractured his thumb.
Then, Blandino’s first season was cut short by an ACL tear, which held him out for nearly a full year. When he returned in June 2019, he was back in Triple-A Louisville. Blandino received a September call-up but was off the radar again in 2020, when he spent the full 60-game season at the Reds’ alternate site.
Now in 2021, Blandino is getting another opportunity to establish himself in the big leagues this spring. The 28-year-old has been a beneficiary of the Reds’ complete inaction in the shortstop market. The forgotten man is firmly in the mix for the starting job, according to manager David Bell, along with Kyle Farmer and Dee Strange-Gordon. And while spring training stats don’t mean much of anything, Blandino has at least made the coaching staff and front office pay attention with eight hits (three doubles) and three walks in 21 plate appearances.
What could Blandino bring to the Reds that makes him worthy of a spot on the Opening Day roster?
Scouting Report
Offense
As a hitter, Blandino has one tool that stands out. Not contact, power, or speed — but plate discipline.
Overall, the right-handed batter has a .259/.365/.408 slash line in 2,006 minor-league plate appearances and a .238/.349/.305 line in 197 major-league plate appearances. Blandino had a .149 isolated power in the minors and a paltry .067 ISO in the majors. On 113 batted balls in his brief time in the majors, he has an 87.8 mph average exit velocity (though he did average 90.1 mph in his short 2019 stint) and 31.9% hard-hit rate. Both metrics are solidly below league average. Blandino’s power output is mostly limited to doubles.
Clearly, he won’t be a threat to win a batting title or home run crown. But he still had a 123 wRC+ in the minor leagues, which was largely carried by his excellent walk rate (11.9%). His sharp eye has translated to the majors as well.
In his limited and sporadic playing time, he has an 11.7% walk rate and .349 on-base percentage with the Reds. He walked in 20% of his 50 plate appearances in 2019, leading to a .420 OBP. Yes, it’s been a small sample. But Blandino knows how to get on base, even if the rest of his offensive game is limited.
Blandino has even been accused of being too patient at the plate, a fair criticism. He’s swung at just 33.6% of the pitches he’s seen at the MLB level; league average is around 46-47%. He’s swung at 51.1% of pitches inside the strike zone, well below the league average of 67-68%. But Blandino’s been in elite territory in laying off pitches outside the strike zone. His career chase rate is just 12.1%; league average is around 30%. For reference, Joey Votto’s career chase rate is 21.5% and his best single-season rate was 15.8% in 2017.
Blandino particularly stands out in this area when compared to his peers competing for the shortstop job:
- Kyle Farmer: 34.1% chase rate
- Dee Strange-Gordon: 42.3% chase rate
Even with varying sample sizes, Blandino’s edge here is clear.
That being said, his strikeout rate — which was an average 20.6% in the minors — has been too high as a big-leaguer (27.9%) and it’s almost entirely because of his passive approach at the plate. Blandino’s whiff rate (18.1%) has been well below league average (24.3%), yet he’s still struck out a bunch. Of his 55 strikeouts, 29 were on called strike threes (52.7%). Over the last three seasons, only 22.9% of strikeouts league-wide have been on called third strikes. Being more aggressive at the plate would probably serve Blandino well.
Like every player in the shortstop/backup infield mix, Blandino is quite limited with the bat. But his plate discipline gives him a decent floor and could help him stand out to the coaching staff and front office.
Defense
Even if Farmer and Strange-Gordon are the favorites for the shortstop job, Blandino can still bring value with his versatility. Blandino plays all four infield positions and has done so during spring training. Although Blandino started his professional career as a shortstop, the Reds felt he was better suited for second and third base. Oddly, he’s only played first base at the major-league level; all four of his career appearances have come with the Reds. Blandino also made one appearance in both left field and right field in 2018.
Scouting reports vary on Blandino’s defense. He has the arm to play across the infield, but his range is limited by his lack of speed, which is why he was ultimately moved away from shortstop on a full-time basis. MLB Pipeline has called him an above-average second baseman. FanGraphs called him below average at all positions. Reds minor league guru Doug Gray called Blandino “good” at second, “solid” at third base, and “below average” at shortstop. Notably, though, these scouting reports are several years old and may not reflect Blandino’s current abilities.
The advanced defensive metrics are inconsistent on Blandino at the MLB level, which isn’t surprising given the extremely small sample. Most rate him as about average at each position, with UZR/150 providing the two outliers. The data is listed below for the sake of thoroughness, but just note that it doesn’t mean much at this point.
Parting Thoughts
Every option at shortstop has clear limitations. All candidates have at least one area where they stand out over the others. Kyle Farmer has the edge in power. Kyle Holder is the best defender of the bunch. Dee Strange-Gordon probably has the best hit tool, even if it has declined significantly in recent years.
Blandino’s case for inclusion on the roster lies in his versatility and, above all, plate discipline. Ultimately, his primary competition for a roster spot is likely Strange-Gordon since Farmer will be on the roster regardless of whether he’s the starting shortstop.
If the Reds value speed, Strange-Gordon could get the roster spot. He’s also a better contact hitter. But with his declining defensive abilities, horrible plate discipline, and inability to hit the ball with authority (more on all of that here), does that outweigh Blandino’s ability to get on base? Probably not, especially if Blandino can hit with even just a little bit of power.
Although he has higher offensive upside than Strange-Gordon, Blandino has a key factor working against him: he (somehow) still has one minor-league option left.
That means the Reds can send him to the minor leagues without exposing him to waivers. Strange-Gordon is on a minor-league deal. If he has an opt-out clause — which is common for veteran players on minor-league contracts — leaving him off the Opening Day roster could mean he’ll become a free agent. Holder is another wild card. He was a Rule 5 pick, which means he has to stay on the active roster all season or be offered back to the Yankees. By including Blandino on the roster over Strange-Gordon and Holder, the Reds could hurt their depth. There’s certainly an argument that the team wouldn’t be losing much, though.
Joey Votto’s health could throw another variable into the equation. If he’s still recovering from COVID-19 and isn’t ready for Opening Day, Mike Moustakas could slide over to first base, opening up second base. That could create an everyday opportunity for Jonathan India, a top prospect making a compelling case for a roster position. This scenario seems more likely after the team’s decision to invite India to major-league camp on Friday. But if the Reds decide India needs more seasoning, that could leave more playing time (and another roster spot) available for Blandino, Strange-Gordon, and/or Holder.
Regardless of how it unfolds, Blandino — often an afterthought — has another chance to carve out a place in the majors. And he’s doing all he can to make the Reds’ decision more difficult.
Featured Image: Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire
Thanks for this. Blandino is my sentimental favorite just because of the way he got hurt, in a game that should have been stopped earlier because of miserable weather.
My observation is this: If versatility makes Blandino a bench factor, so be it, but using him as a pinch hitter means he will bat with little to no chance to hit with power at likely moments in the game. Does that matter? If Farmer comes off the bench, at least you might get a little pop in the bat.
I chuckled at the reference to Strange-Gordon’s “hit tool.” Didn’t know that was part of his profile. But I can’t see the Reds starting Blandino over DSG.
Get a true shortstop and then let these other players fall into more suitable roles. I know, I know, small market, “reallocation resources,” etc.
I think there are still enough power options off the bench that you could live with Blandino in the mix. One of Akiyama, Senzel, and Winker will be sitting on any given day. The latter two have good power. Aquino, Naquin, India, Payton, and Heineman all have a bit of pop. Granted, only one or two of those players will likely make the team. Add Farmer to that list if he’s coming off the bench, as well as Stephenson on days he doesn’t catch. I think a bench that looks something like this would be pretty solid (assuming Farmer is the starting SS):
I think Blandino is a terrific asset off the bench. His ability to get on base is ideal for PH to start an inning. His defensive versatility also has value. He’ll be a low cost player as long as he plays because if he hit for power and had speed, well he’d be a starter. I’d prefer to see him on the bench over a player like Aquino who has potential (even if low probability) to achieve a high ceiling. Aquino won’t likely unlock that potential in a ML bench role.