GOODYEAR, Arizona – During batting practice on Thursday, Derek Dietrich hammered a pitch over the tall right-field fence on one of the complex’s backfields.
Cincinnati Reds third-base coach J.R. House, who was throwing a round of batting practice, shouted to Dietrich, “Shoulder’s healthy!”
Dietrich joined the Reds on a minor league contract for the second straight season. He will make $2 million if he’s on the big league roster, according to a source, and he could make an additional $1.15 million based on games played and plate appearance incentives. He can request his release if he’s not on the big league roster on March 20.