Former SF Giants infielder off to a scorching start with the Reds

If you have been paying attention to teams around baseball, you will recognize several names on the Cincinnati Reds. They look awfully similar to the 2022 Giants and one name, Jason Vosler, is off to a hot start with the new club.

Former SF Giants infielder off to a scorching start with the Reds

The left-handed bat is joined by several Giants alum on the Reds including Curt Casali, Derek Law, Stuart Fairchild, and Alex Young. Law is the only player from the list to not appear with the Giants last season.

With Joey Votto (shoulder surgery) still on the shelf, Vosler is poised to get his most extended look in the majors. And, in a very small sample, he is taking advantage of it. He is slashing .333/.333/.1.133 with three home runs and seven RBI in his first five games with the Reds. This includes home runs in three straight games:

Vosler always showed off a good bat during his tenure with the Giants as he registered a .228/.306/.421 line with seven home runs, 21 RBI, and 26 runs across two seasons. San Francisco originally signed him to a major league contract after the 2020 season despite never appearing in the majors.

At the time, the power-hitting infielder was an accomplished minor league as he posted a .777 OPS while hitting at least 20 home runs in three different minor league seasons. The Giants felt like he could hit and he definitely proved that with San Francisco.

Plus, he did so in a pretty tough role as well. Vosler had minor league options in his first two seasons, which the Giants leveraged quite often. If the Giants were facing a series of righties and were short an infielder, Vosler was usually the first player called upon.

It is not an easy role but he has a .775 career OPS against righties since he debuted in 2021, so he performed well in a platoon role.

The Giants tried to expand his versatility by working him out in left field and second base, but first base is likely his best position at this point. If he could handle another position well, he would probably still be with the club. However, the Giants designated him for assignment this offseason.

He signed with the Seattle Mariners and then was released after a few days to sign with the Reds. This could be a nice landing spot for the 29-year-old as Cincinnati is not expected to be in the playoff mix. There should be plenty of playing time for Vosler is he performs. You have to think that the right-field porch at the Great American Ball Park is a good environment for Vosler's swing.