Tyler Stephenson may be nearing the end of his run in Cincinnati, and the signs point in one direction: the Reds sound ready to move on.
After years of talk about a possible extension for the veteran catcher, the club’s stance appears to be shifting. Reds president Nick Krall doesn’t seem eager to bring Stephenson back, especially as the organization reevaluates how it wants to build its offense.
That change starts with a new priority. Cincinnati has spent recent years chasing power with moves such as Jeimer Candelario and Eugenio Suárez, but that approach hasn’t produced more runs or more wins.
According to Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith, Krall now appears focused on lineup upgrades built around on-base ability and small-ball traits. Stephenson, for all his value, does not fit that mold.
His offensive profile helps explain why. Stephenson owns a career OPS+ of 104, which puts him just a bit above league average.
His strikeout rate in 2026 was 27.4%, good for the 14th percentile in the majors. By comparison, backup catcher Jose Trevino struck out 18.6% of the time.
Trevino brings a different kind of contact skill, but he can’t be counted on as a full-time answer behind the plate. The last season in which he played more than 100 games came in 2022, so if the Reds are serious about replacing Stephenson, Krall will need to work the trade market or free agency.
One name that fits the club’s new direction is Ryan Jeffers. The former Minnesota Twins catcher was in the top quarter of the major leagues in both whiff rate and walk rate, and his right-handed pull approach would play well at Great American Ball Park. Another free agent option is Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, who brings a strong plate approach along with elite blocking behind the plate.
Kelly, an 11-year veteran, might be the cleanest fit of all. At 32, he could be open to a short-term deal, though CBA negotiations could complicate that path. That kind of arrangement would also keep the door open for Alfredo Duno to take over the starting job in the next few seasons.
However it shakes out, the catcher spot looks unsettled beyond this year. If the Reds follow through on this new offensive blueprint, Stephenson appears headed for a new home this offseason.
In Other News...
Reds Fans Have Every Right To Be Upset Over Tejay Antone
Tejay Antones season was the kind of return story that usually gets plenty of recognition around the league. After coming back from three Tommy John surgeries, he was a steady presence in the Reds bullpen and turned in a 3.11 ERA across 58 appearances, a notable achievement for any reliever trying to re-establish himself at the big-league level.
So it stood out when the Players Choice National League Comeback Player of the Year finalists were announced without his name on the list. Sandy Alcantara, Martn Perez and Zack Wheeler made the cut instead, leaving plenty of Reds fans wondering how Antones comeback and performance were overlooked in a category that is supposed to celebrate exactly that kind of season. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Prospect Luke Holman Is Showing More Than A Normal Comeback
Luke Holmans road back has already gone well beyond the usual rehab-box storyline. The Reds 2024 Competitive Balance Round B pick missed valuable development time after Tommy John surgery and was limited to few innings in 2025, but his recent Arizona Fall League start offered a reminder of why Cincinnati was eager to invest in him in the first place. He handled the outing with sharp velocity and better command, and the kind of strikeout-heavy line that hints at more than just a pitcher getting back on a mound.
Holman is still in the middle of refining his mechanics as he moves through rehabilitation, which is the part that matters most for Cincinnati going forward. A healthy arm is one thing, but the real question for the Reds is whether this version of Holman can keep stacking outings like this while continuing to sharpen the pitch mix that gives him a chance to become more than a comeback success story. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Keep Finding Talent But One Organizational Problem Wont Go Away
The Reds keep showing they can spot talent, but the teams still alive in the League Championship Series are a reminder of how often that talent blossoms somewhere else. Milwaukee, Cleveland and Tampa Bay have all gotten useful production from former Cincinnati players, a familiar kind of postscript for an organization that has spent years trying to turn promising names into long-term answers.
Jake Bauers, Nathaniel Lowe and Ryan Vilade are part of that larger pattern, and the frustration for Cincinnati is less about identification than follow-through. The club has landed enough intriguing players to believe the scouting is there, yet too many of those pieces have either been moved on quickly or left before their upside was fully unlocked, leaving player development as the obvious hurdle if the Reds want to keep pace with the best small-market teams. [Read more 🡒]