The Cincinnati Reds are adding four more names to their Hall of Fame, and one of them is a player who brought power, speed, and consistency to the Queen City throughout the 1990s-Reggie Sanders.
Sanders headlines a 2026 class that also includes Brandon Phillips, Aaron Harang, and Lou Piniella. Sanders and Piniella were selected by the Reds’ Hall of Fame Veterans Committee, which considers managers, executives, and players whose careers ended more than 15 years ago.
For Reds fans who watched Sanders patrol the outfield at Riverfront Stadium, this honor is a long time coming. From 1991 to 1998, Sanders was a key piece of Cincinnati’s lineup.
He racked up 781 hits, launched 125 home runs, drove in 431 runs, and swiped 158 bases during his time in a Reds uniform. Whether it was flashing the leather in right field or turning on a fastball and sending it into the seats, Sanders gave the Reds a dynamic presence on both sides of the ball.
His best season in Cincinnati came in 1995, when he was at the peak of his powers. Sanders hit .306, crushed 28 home runs, drove in 99 runs, and stole 36 bases-an elite combination of power and speed that earned him his lone All-Star selection and a sixth-place finish in National League MVP voting. That '95 campaign wasn’t just impressive-it was the kind of season that defines a career and cements a player’s legacy with a franchise.
After leaving Cincinnati, Sanders continued to produce across the league, playing for several teams and maintaining a high level of performance well into the 2000s. By the time he retired in 2007, he had compiled 1,666 hits, 305 home runs, 983 RBIs, and 304 stolen bases-a rare 300/300 club member and one of the more underrated dual-threat outfielders of his era.
The Reds will officially honor the 2026 Hall of Fame class during a weekend celebration from April 24-26, when the Detroit Tigers visit Great American Ball Park. For fans, it’ll be a chance to reflect on the impact these four men had on the franchise-and for Reggie Sanders, it’s a well-earned moment in the spotlight.