Cincinnati Reds: 3 signs Curt Casali will be gone next season

1. The Reds could save money by non-tendering or trading Curt Casali.

Curt Casali is in his second year of arbitration eligibility. Casali made $1.4M with Cincinnati last year. The low cost of a platooned catcher definitely helps Casali’s case. Quite simply, it’s not the end of the world if he stays or goes. Casali is assumed to make between $1.8M-$2.4M next season according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Cincinnati acquired Casali from Tampa via an amazing trade for cash, and Casali has taken advantage of the opportunity Cincinnati has given him. Furthermore, Casali’s split at the plate verses right-handed and left-handed pitchers isn’t nearly as staggering as Tucker Barnhart’s. But David Bell has made it clear that this lineup operates in a platooned system.

Casali isn’t the defender that Tucker Barnhart is. Few catchers are– and we’ll get to that. Casali threw out 27% of runners attempting to steal. That’s almost 10% less than Barnhart’s rate. While Casali is not a poor defender, Cincinnati is better defensively with their two-time Gold Glove winning catcher donning the tools of ignorance.

And while I don’t mean to call Curt Casali an old man, he is eight years older than Tyler Stephenson. The front office and the fans want to see the developing talent in the minors start to get their chances. Stephenson did not disappoint in the few chances he got in 2020. It would be a crime to not let Stephenson build upon his successes at the expense of Casali’s roster spot.

2. Tyler Stephenson is the Reds future behind the dish.

It’s Tyme. While there are Stephensons that might not make the 2021 roster, you better believe there will be one in the dish. Tyler Stephenson got the call this past summer. In 17 at-bats, Stephenson slashed .294/.400/.647. That includes two balls out of the yard and is good for a 1.047 OPS.

Tyler Stephenson will turn 25 towards the end of next season. Ask any Reds fan who’d they rather have; an exciting 25-year-old rookie or a 32-year-old average ballplayer? Again, no disrespect to Casali, but eventually the Cincinnati Reds have to start getting some return on their farm system. And jumping the Triple-A part of that farm system says a lot about Stephenson’s ability.

On the contrary, this is the best reason to keep Casali– just in case Stephenson needs to get designated to Louisville. But in his seven seasons in the minors, Stephenson’s .263/.350/.390 proves he can do just as well as Curt Casali. But unlike Casali, Stephenson has much more room and ability for continued development.

Stephenson is the team’s No. 4 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and though he only got behind the plate twice last season, his minor league résumé clearly shows that he’s capable of playing the position. Let’s not forget he threw out former Reds speedster Billy Hamilton during a game against the Chicago Cubs.

3. Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart is a superior defender to Curt Casali.

Edwards. Bench. Barnhart. The only Reds catchers to win two Gold Glove Awards. Tucker Barnhart recently rounded out that legendary list with his second Gold Glove. Make no mistake, the Reds pay Tuck for his impeccable defense.

His .997 career fielding percentage is the best amongst all active catchers. This past year, Barnhart caught 36% of runners stealing– good for 3rd in the National League. He ranked 5th in the NL for defensive WAR (0.9).

If you care about “range factor,” Barnhart ranked first in the NL this past season (11.77 per game) and ranks fourth amongst all active catchers. It’s also worth noting that he ranked fourth in framing pitches, according to FanGraphs. A dramatic improvement in a category that has been Barnhart’s Achilles Heel in the past.

As far as offense goes, Barnhart fits perfectly into David Bell’s puzzle. In the past two seasons, the left-handed hitter’s batting average against left-handed pitchers is an abysmal .093. But because we are in Bell’s system, Casali’s much less dramatic split doesn’t weigh as much on roster decisions.

Because the Reds have a budding right-handed hitter in Tyler Stephenson to fill the other side of the platoon, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to hold onto Casali for his hitting ability. You pay for a catcher’s defense. Tucker isn’t going anywhere.

I like Curt Casali. He’s a good catcher, a good batter and an all-around good ballplayer to have in the clubhouse. There’s no doubt that Casali can continue to contribute to a Major League team. But the Cincinnati Reds have their catching platoon in a multi-Gold Glove winner, Tucker Barnhart, and the up-and-coming youngster, Tyler Stephenson.