The Dodgers are bringing in Nick Senzel as a non-roster invite to spring training, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
It’s the kind of move that makes sense for a team already loaded with talent. They’re not exactly hurting for depth, but Senzel represents the type of reclamation project that could pay off.
The path to the roster isn’t straightforward for the 30-year-old, but there’s still intrigue here. This is a guy who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Tennessee.
That’s the kind of pedigree that doesn’t just disappear.
Senzel’s MLB career hasn’t gone according to plan. He’s hit .232 across 451 games and been worth negative-3.1 WAR since breaking in with Cincinnati. His .662 career OPS tells the story of a player who never found his footing.
The versatility is there – the 6-foot-1 Senzel can handle both infield and outfield – but the production hasn’t followed. He’s managed 40 career homers with a 33-21 record on stolen base attempts.
His best season remains his rookie year in 2019, when he put up a .742 OPS with 12 homers and 14 steals. He hasn’t cracked .700 in OPS since then, which explains why he’s bounced around.
Senzel split 2024 between Washington and Chicago after leaving Cincinnati. Last year, he spent time with Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers’ system, hitting .252 with a .749 OPS.
He also got six games in the Mexican League, where he went 13-for-22 (.591) with three homers. Small sample, but that’s the kind of performance that keeps doors open.
The way I see it, Senzel’s got the tools and the track record to be intriguing, even if the results haven’t been their. For a team like the Dodgers, it’s a low-risk move that could provide depth if something clicks.
All things considered, spring training will tell us whether Senzel can finally harness that draft-day potential or if this is just another stop on a journeyman’s path.
