Reds Sign Dominic Fletcher To Minor League Deal

The Reds have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Dominic Fletcher. He will report to Triple-A Louisville. The 29-year-old had elected free agency in mid-August after triggering a release clause in his minor league pact with the Pirates.

The Diamondbacks drafted Fletcher 75th overall in 2019. He made his MLB debut four years later, bouncing back and forth between Arizona and Triple-A Reno until a fractured finger ended his season in August. Over 28 big league games in 2023, he hit .301 with a .791 OPS and a 112 wRC+, while producing 4 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 2 Outs Above Average (OAA) between all three outfield positions.

The following winter, the D-backs traded Fletcher to the White Sox for right-hander Cristian Mena. Although the rebuilding White Sox gave him plenty of opportunities to play, he failed to take advantage. In between a couple of optional assignments to Triple-A Charlotte and a month-long stint on the injured list, Fletcher appeared in 72 games for Chicago. He hit .206 with a .508 OPS and a 44 wRC+. His defensive metrics were still excellent, specifically in right field, but even Gold Glove-caliber defense can’t make up for a batting line so far below league average.

Fletcher finished his 2024 campaign on a particularly sour note, slashing .164/.195/.219 in September. After his equally disappointing showing the subsequent spring, the White Sox designated him for assignment on Opening Day 2025. He remained in the organization and eventually returned to the majors in September, appearing in 12 games and batting .219 with a .733 OPS and a 99 wRC+. Despite that respectable performance, the White Sox removed him from their 40-man roster after the season, and the lefty batter elected free agency.

In December, Fletcher signed a minor league contract with the Pirates. He played 63 games with their Triple-A affiliate this year and put up some of the best numbers of his career at any level: a walk rate over 10%, a strikeout rate under 15%, and a wRC+ 30% better than league average. However, he never earned a call-up to Pittsburgh.

Fletcher opted out of his deal with the Pirates in July, only to re-up with the organization on a new minor league pact a couple of weeks later. This time, he has latched on with a club that might be more likely to give him a chance in the big leagues over the next few weeks. The Reds are six games below .500, 6.5 back in the Wild Card race, and their outfielders rank last in MLB in FanGraphs WAR. If they add Fletcher to their 40-man (and don’t option him back to Triple-A Indianapolis), he would have an option year remaining that could come in handy in 2027.