Cincinnati Reds sign OF Conner Capel, bring back RHP Brett Kennedy on minor league deal

By Wick Terrell@wickterrell  Dec 27, 2023, 4:45pm EST  1 Comment / 1 New

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Conner Capel, a former 5th round draft pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2018, has had an eventful journey in his professional baseball career. After being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and later claimed off waivers by the Oakland A’s, he became a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.

However, Capel’s status as a free agent has changed. The Cincinnati Reds recently signed him to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, as announced on Twitter.

Capel has shown promising performance both in the major leagues and at the AAA level. In his limited playing time in the big leagues, he has maintained a solid batting line of .280/.366/.408 across the past two seasons, while his career numbers in AAA stand at .264/.353/.435 over 1238 plate appearances. The 26-year-old outfielder bats from the left side and has experience playing all outfield positions.

This signing can be seen as a noteworthy addition for the Cincinnati Reds. Additionally, the team recently re-signed right-handed pitcher Brett Kennedy, as reported in their MLB.com transactions ledger. Kennedy, who is 29 years old, had a notable start last August against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he held them scoreless over 5.0 innings at Great American Ball Park. While Kennedy serves as valuable depth in the pitching staff, it is hoped that he won’t have to log too many innings for the Reds in the upcoming 2024 season. Nevertheless, his presence provides reassurance in case of any rotation issues.