The Reds turned Great American Ball Park into something a little different last weekend: a place where the players were the ones collecting autographs.
TJ Friedl and his teammates welcomed kids from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Champions Program back for a reverse signing, a follow-up to a successful first year. The setup flipped the usual script. Instead of the players signing for the kids, each of the 15 children signed custom-made Topps cards for the Reds, then spent time getting to know the team as the players moved down the line and gathered their own set of autographed cards.
The kids also left with brand-new Reds hats, batting gloves and baseballs, but the cards were the real centerpiece. Each child came with a fun fact, giving the players a quick window into who they were beyond the signatures.
“Each kid had a fun fact about themselves which was cool and helped us get to know them each as individuals,” Matt McLain said. “It means a lot to be able to put smiles on their faces.”
McLain, who was part of last year’s event, wound up as one of the day’s easy favorites. He even took on Reese, one of the autograph signers, in an arm-wrestling contest and lost without complaint.
For Friedl, bringing the event back carried extra meaning. He spent two months as a kid staying at San Francisco Children’s Hospital in a room donated by Barry Bonds, and he said the heart of the day is the chance to connect with kids in a real way.
“My favorite part about it is just having natural conversations with these kids and getting them over here to the ballpark and getting them in this room and just meeting them,” Friedl said.
The room stayed busy for more than an hour, with laughter rolling through as the kids and players talked about sports, hobbies and movies. Friedl and McLain were joined by 17 teammates last weekend: Tejay Antone, Graham Ashcraft, Will Banfield, Juan Brito, Brock Burke, Julian Garcia, Pierce Johnson, Carlos Jorge, Nick Lodolo, Rhett Lowder, Luis Mey, Sam Moll, Emilio Pagán, Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Sal Stewart and José Trevino.
Friedl said he hoped his teammates would walk away with the same feeling he does every year.
“I just hope they take away the same kind of feeling that I get from it,” he said. “The enjoyment of talking to these kids and getting to meet them and getting to know them and just having that interaction with them.
It’s good to take a break away from baseball. Your life gets so consumed with baseball for 180 days out of the year that it’s nice to have days like these where you step away.”
Steer, who also took part in 2025, said the afternoon offered a lesson in perspective.
“They’re battling with a lot of adversity at a young age, and it’s pretty inspiring to see how they’re able to still be around here with a smile on their face and enjoying life. I can take a lot from that, just seeing how they attack the day, knowing what they’re facing on a daily basis,” he said.
One moment stuck with him in particular.
“I had a kid come up to me right when I got up here and gave me a big old hug wearing a Spencer Steer shirt. Just knowing that I can bring joy to kids and knowing that I [have] fans and try to be a good role model for them,” Steer said.
The day meant just as much on the other side of the table. Addie, a 12-year-old Cincinnati native and lifelong Reds Heads kids club member, said she hoped the interaction reminded the players how much their presence matters in the community.
“Their kindness just helps people, and you never know. It could just help someone’s day feel way better,” she said.
She also knew exactly which players stood out to her.
“TJ Friedl or Matt McLain. We were just talking a lot.
I could see the vibe just flowing. They were really nice.”
Emma, another autograph signer, got an added surprise when her family kept the event secret until she arrived. Once she realized where she was, the excitement spread quickly.
“It meant a lot. I’ve never gotten to meet any of them,” Emma said.
Asked what she wanted the players to remember, she shared the message that carries her through her toughest days: “Keep on going and don’t ever give up.”
By the end of the afternoon, the Reds had done more than trade signatures with a group of kids. They spent time, listened, laughed and left with a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful part of baseball happens when the game itself is out of the way.
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