The Reds may be headed into the offseason with a real question mark behind the plate, and Nick Krall’s latest comments did not exactly sound like a ringing endorsement for Tyler Stephenson’s return.
“I think we need to take a step back and figure out what it’s going to take,” Krall said.
That leaves Cincinnati staring at a catcher situation that could get thin in a hurry if Stephenson departs. At the major-league level, the current options would be Jose Trevino and Will Banfield.
P.J. Higgins has elected free agency, and the hope is that Alfredo Duno, coming off a successful winter ball season in Caracas, can begin 2027 at Triple-A after spring training.
Until then, the Reds may need a stopgap.
One name that fits that profile is Jonah Heim.
The 32-year-old veteran has been linked to the Reds before, and after a down year in 2026, he looks like the kind of low-cost free agent Cincinnati could actually afford to target. Heim appeared in 105 games for the Braves and Athletics last season and hit .201 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. He finished with a -1.0 WAR.
That was a sharp drop from his peak in 2023, when Heim made the All-Star team, won a Gold Glove and helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series. He also posted 18 home runs, 95 RBIs and a 3.1 WAR season that year.
If the Reds could get even half of that version of Heim, it would be a smart pickup. The offense would be one piece of it, but his defense and leadership would matter too, especially with Duno still at least another season away from the big leagues.
For now, the ideal outcome would still be Stephenson coming back on a reasonable deal. But if that path closes, a cheaper veteran like Heim could make a lot of sense for Cincinnati’s 2027 catching depth.
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Joey Votto Just Added Intrigue To A Reds Infield Debate
After a season that ended without a postseason berth, the Reds are heading into an offseason where the infield will be one of the biggest talking points. Questions remain at second and third base, and that has opened the door to all kinds of outside ideas about how Cincinnati could reshape the group and find more stability for next year.
Joey Votto added a little more buzz to the conversation when he signaled support for a fans suggestion that the Reds pursue Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe. Volpe has been uneven lately, but he fits the kind of reclamation-project logic that often gets attached to young infielders with upside, and his name suddenly has a little more traction in Cincinnatis orbit as the roster discussion starts to heat up. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Could Find A Third Base Answer With One Big Catch
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The catch is the same one that usually shadows any discussion about Westburg: availability. His talent is clear enough to make him interesting, but the Reds would have to decide how much risk they can live with when a players history raises questions about whether he can stay on the field long enough to be a dependable answer at a premium position. [Read more 🡒]
Noelvi Marte Is Still Fighting For A Bigger Reds Role
Noelvi Marte spent his winter keeping busy in the Dominican Winter League, where the former Reds top prospect has been getting reps in center field for Gigantes del Cibao alongside Aristides Aquino. For Cincinnati, the assignment says as much about opportunity as it does about curiosity, with the club still looking for ways to keep Marte on the path toward a larger big league role.
The 23-year-old remains an intriguing name in the Reds system, but last season also came with a blunt reminder of how far he still has to go. He hit .189/.229/.321 in 63 major league games, and Nick Krall publicly said the club should have moved him down sooner, a pointed assessment that underscored how much Martes bat still needs to stabilize before the Reds can count on him for more. [Read more 🡒]