Reds Still Plan To Try Sheng-En Lin As A Two-Way Player

“The way he’s interacted with his coaches and teammates has been different this year,” Reds senior director of player development Jeremy Farrell said. “Watching him play and go about his day, he seems more freed up, and it seems to have translated to the field.”

Through 32 games this year, Lin had excelled at the plate, hitting .339/.454/.477 with one home run and 11 stolen bases. He opened the year at third base before taking on more reps shortstop.

While things have gone well for Lin in the batter’s box, time on the mound is waiting for him. 

“All along, we’ve been open to exploring both him on the mound and as a position player,” Farrell said. “A few circumstances led to him starting his career with us solely as a position player.

“But we’re currently now in a position where, after the ACL season ends, he’s going to spend the rest of the year as a pitcher through instructional league.”

Having a potential two-way player introduces many questions, many of which will go unanswered for now. 

“Depending on how things go on the mound, we need to factor in the best way to keep him healthy long term,” Farrell said.

It’s not just the health, though. Where Lin could wind up playing in the field could also be a factor.

“If he’s going to be a two-way player, is it better to have him in the outfield?” Farrell said. “Is it better to have him in the infield? Where does he profile best for the future? There’s still many discussions to be had.

“But a lot of it is going to be based on what we see out of him as we continue to progress, and ultimately having conversations with him to make the most of this.”