Jeimer Candelario’s 2024 season with the Cincinnati Reds was one the team and players alike would likely prefer to forget. After joining the Reds as a free agent, the highly anticipated addition struggled to meet expectations, particularly with his bat. Over the first 48 games of the season, Candelario posted a disappointing .216/.284/.379 line, significantly underperforming both offensively and defensively. While he briefly showed signs of his potential during a hot stretch from May 22 to June 23, when he batted .308/.342/.664 with 10 home runs and 17 extra-base hits over 27 games, his performance ultimately regressed. Following that period, Candelario entered a prolonged slump, with his OPS dropping to a mere .557 over the next 43 games.
Candelario’s season took another hit when he suffered a fractured toe on August 19, bringing his year to an early and unfortunate end. After months of recovery, Candelario made his return last week by joining the Toros del Este in the Dominican Winter League. While his sample size in the winter league is still small, his performance has shown promising signs. In three games, he has gone 4-for-10, with a double, a walk, and a strikeout, showcasing a much-needed resurgence in his offensive game. In his most recent appearance, he went 1-for-2 with a walk, with his lone hit being a scorching 104 MPH line drive that narrowly missed the pitcher before landing in center field.
Though Candelario’s winter league performance has been limited, it offers hope for his future with the Reds, particularly after a disappointing 2024 season. His positive results in the Dominican Winter League could help him regain his confidence and fine-tune his skills ahead of the 2025 season. While other Reds prospects such as Noelvi Marte and Hector Rodriguez have faced struggles in the winter league, Candelario’s ability to produce consistently at the plate has sparked optimism for his return to form.
Looking ahead, Candelario will need to carry this momentum into the offseason and the next MLB season if he hopes to bounce back and live up to the potential that many saw when he first signed with the Reds. His 2024 season may have been riddled with setbacks, but the possibility of a strong recovery could help solidify his place as a key contributor for the team moving forward.