Boog

Powell

Powell signed a minor league deal with the Reds over the winter after spending last season with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate. The 27-year-old last appeared in the majors in 2018 as a member of the Athletics.

Powell spent the entire 2019 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Padres in El Paso, Texas, where he posted a .288/.391/.438 batting line with eight home runs and 14 stolen bases across 105 games. The 27-year-old will serve as organizational outfield depth for Cincinnati leading into the 2020 campaign.

Powell was cut loose by the Athletics in the fall after hitting just .221/.348/.242 over 40 major league games in 2018. He is a decent defender in the outfield and is willing to draw walks, but the 26-year-old doesn’t hit enough to be more than a bench bat. He’ll compete for the right to be a reserve this spring.

He tested positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, which is considered an anabolic steroid. Powell released a statement, which you can read in the link below. The 23-year-old has hit .270 this year with three homers and 10 steals in 64 games for Triple-A Tacoma. Powell began his career in the A’s organization but was shipped to Tampa Bay in the Ben Zobrist trade and then dealt again to Seattle in a trade that sent Brad Miller and Logan Morrison to the Rays.

Powell needed to redeem himself in the Mariners’ eyes this spring, and he did just that by going 15-for-26 with no strikeouts in 16 games. He’ll finish out his 80-game PED suspension and then join Triple-A Tacoma in late April.

He cracked a two-RBI double in the sixth inning. He is having a monster spring with a .577 batting average and 1.376 OPS in 26 at-bats. Powell played at Triple-A last year, compiling a .270/.326/.359 slash line in 64 games before receiving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. The 24-year-old will return to Triple-A to start the season.

Powell had to finish out an 80-game PED suspension to open the 2017 regular season. He’ll work in the outfield at Triple-A Tacoma.

Powell also scored two runs, and two of the hits were doubles. After missing most of 2016 with a PED suspension, Powell’s stock dropped considerably. That said, there’s still things to like about Powell, mainly his approach at the plate and his above-average speed. He’s more than likely a fourth outfielder, but there might be just enough offensive projection here to make him an everyday player.

With Mitch Haniger on the disabled list and Nelson Cruz nursing a minor injury, Powell will provide depth in the outfield for a couple of days. The 24-year-old was hitting .261/.424/.326 with no homers, four RBI and five stolen bases in 14 games at Triple-A Tacoma.

This marks his second straight absence. Boog Powell will serve as the DH while batting ninth Thursday against Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson. Cruz said an MRI showed a slight tear in his injured calf, though he plans to return for Friday’s series opener against the Rays.