The Reds announced this afternoon that they have selected the contract of outfielder T.J. Hopkins. In corresponding moves, outfielder TJ Friedl was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, while left-hander Nick Lodolo was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Hopkins, 26, was a ninth round pick by the Reds in the 2019 draft. Hopkins has largely hit well since getting his start in full-season ball at Double-A in 2021, with a .264/.339/.452 slash line in 717 plate appearances at the level. That production earned him a promotion to Triple-A late last season, where he posted a .255/.320/.436 slash line good for a league-average wRC+ of exactly 100 in 25 games, with a somewhat concerning 28.2% strikeout rate, the highest of his career at any level.
Returning to the Triple-A level this season, Hopkins has broken out in a big way as the outfielder has obliterated Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .341/.437/.540 slash line in 50 games, good for a wRC+ of 150 while his strikeout rate has dropped to a more palatable 24.6%. That fantastic performance has earned Hopkins his first chance in the big leagues, where he’s the next youngster promoted in a Reds youth movement that already included the likes of Matt McLain and Spencer Steer.
While most of his experience is in the outfield corners, Hopkins figures to replace the club’s center fielder in the lineup as Friedl heads to the IL with a hamstring strain. After two partial seasons as a roughly league average bat with the Reds in 2021 and 2022, Friedl has broken out in a big way so far this year, with a .246/.320/.434 slash line and strong defense in center field. That breakout will be put on hold now, however, at least for the time being. In the meantime, Hopkins figures to mix and match in the outfield alongside Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild, Jose Barrero, and Will Benson.
Lodolo’s placement on the 60-day IL hardly comes as a surprise after an MRI revealed a stress reaction in his left tibia last month. While Lodolo’s initial timetable for return was around a month after his mid-May injury, the stress reaction seemed likely to extend his timeline fro return, and his placement on the 60-day IL confirms that much, as he will now be out through the All Star break at minimum. After a fantastic rookie season where he posted a 3.66 ERA in 103 1/3 innings, Lodolo struggled early in his sophomore campaign, with a 6.29 ERA across seven starts prior to his placement on the injured list.