With Tyler Stephenson gone in free agency, the Reds are staring at a catcher opening next to veteran Jose Trevino. Cincinnati has not completely shut the door on a Stephenson reunion, but that possibility looks thinner by the day.
That leaves the Reds scanning the market, and San Diego has become a team worth watching. The Padres have reportedly taken calls on their catching depth this offseason, and according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune, they are expected to trade one of Freddy Fermin or Luis Campusano this winter.
Both would make sense on some level. But for Cincinnati, one name fits the need far better than the other.
Fermin brings the kind of glove work the Reds like. Campusano brings the kind of bat they badly need.
If San Diego is truly willing to move Luis Campusano, Cincinnati should be in the conversation. The 28-year-old is not going to earn hardware for his work behind the plate, and beyond throwing out runners, he graded as one of the league’s weakest defensive catchers. Still, the Reds are in no position to ignore offense this winter, and Campusano offers real help there.
He spent most of the 2025 season in the minors before returning to the majors last season and producing a .265/.363/.433 line with eight home runs, 30 RBI, a 122 OPS+, and a 127 wRC+. He also showed a strong eye, posting a 12.1% walk rate.
That matters for a Cincinnati lineup that already has too many holes. The Reds appear headed toward another season with Matt McLain (69 OPS+), Ke’Bryan Hayes (17 OPS+), and Noelvi Marte (51 OPS+) in the mix, and they cannot afford another dead spot in the order. Trevino’s .217/.221/.336 line is light enough already; pairing him with another bat that doesn’t threaten pitchers would only deepen the problem.
Fermin, though, is the cleaner defensive fit. His work behind the plate would pair nicely with Trevino, and his numbers in key areas stood out: he ranked in the 86th percentile or better in blocks above average (10), pop time (1.88 seconds), caught stealing above average (6), and fielding run value (9).
The issue is the bat. He hit just .203/.274/.315 in 2026, and his career OPS over five big-league seasons is barely above .650.
Cincinnati needs a bridge until Alfredo Duno is ready to take over behind the plate in 2028, maybe 2029. Either Padres catcher would be an upgrade over Will Banfield, but with the roster as tight as it is, the Reds have to make the right call.
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The bar is a high one, since a candidate needs at least 12 votes to get in, but Piniellas rsum gives Cincinnati plenty to point to. He managed five major league teams over 23 seasons, piled up 1,835 wins and, most importantly for this market, guided the Reds to a World Series title in 1990. For a franchise that still leans on that championship as a defining memory, his candidacy carries a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]