Reds non-tender former 2nd overall pick Senzel

Nick Senzel's time with the Cincinnati Reds has come to an end.

The Reds announced Friday that they didn't tender a contract to the former second overall pick, instead making him a free agent.

Senzel broke the news himself a few hours before the official announcement with an Instagram post thanking the Reds.

Cincinnati selected Senzel out of Tennessee with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, and he made his big-league debut less than three years later. Despite considerable hype, he was never able to secure a full-time job with the Reds, in part due to injuries. Senzel spent seven separate stints on the injured list during his five seasons with the Reds and never played more than 110 games in a season.

The 28-year-old is a lifetime .239/.302/.369 hitter with 33 home runs, 125 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases in 377 big-league contests. His best season came in his rookie campaign of 2019, when he posted a career-best .742 OPS.

Senzel could stand out as a reasonable utility option in a thin crop of free-agent infielders. Originally a third baseman, he's primarily played center field in the majors but has experience playing all three outfield spots, and he's also spent time at both third and second.

The Reds' glut of young infield talent at most of his positions essentially squeezed Senzel off their roster going forward.

Cincinnati also non-tendered pitchers Derek Law and Reiver Sanmartin.