Cincinnati Reds Add Bullpen Depth by Signing Yunior Marte.

The Cincinnati Reds have strengthened their bullpen depth by signing right-handed reliever Yunior Marte to a minor league contract, according to a report from Francys Romero. The move adds an experienced arm to the organization as the Reds continue to evaluate bullpen options. Marte pitched in Major League Baseball from 2022 through 2024, spending time with both the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. During the 2025 season, he took his talents overseas, pitching in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons. Because Japanese professional baseball uses the same team names for both major and minor league affiliates, Marte appeared at multiple levels within the organization. He performed well in both settings, posting particularly strong results at the top level with a 1.95 ERA across 35 appearances. Over 32.1 innings, he allowed 11 walks while striking out 25 hitters. Marte was also effective in Chunichi’s minor league system, recording a 2.45 ERA in 14.2 innings without issuing a walk and striking out 23 batters. Later in December, he joined Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter League, where he closed the regular season without allowing a single baserunner in five one-inning outings.

Across parts of three MLB seasons, Marte logged 113.1 innings with a 5.64 ERA. He surrendered 128 hits, including 16 home runs, walked 54 batters, and struck out 105. His home run rate increased each season, and his 2024 campaign marked the lowest strikeout rate and highest walk rate of his major league career. One notable difference during Marte’s time abroad was improved control. While detailed pitch-tracking data from Japan is unavailable, limited data from the Dominican Winter League shows a drop in velocity. After averaging 97–98 miles per hour during his MLB tenure, Marte averaged just under 94 mph with Licey, topping out slightly above 95 mph. Despite the decline in velocity, Marte has demonstrated elite arm strength in the past, having reached triple-digit speeds and ranking among the hardest throwers in baseball as recently as 2024.

The Reds will likely aim to help him regain some of that velocity while maintaining the improved command he showed overseas, potentially turning him into a useful bullpen option moving forward.