5 platoon partners to pair with Jose Trevino if Reds don't re-sign Tyler Stephenson

The simplest answer to a question is usually the best. That's why the answer to the Cincinnati Reds' catcher conundrum should simply be to re-sign Tyler Stephenson, especially if he's as affordable as some insiders believe. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that the club feels the same way about a reunion.

Now, it's fair to say that with as many holes as the Reds have — they need a starting pitcher (or two), several bullpen arms, including high-leverage guys to replace Emilio Pagan, an infielder, and potentially a platoon outfield partner for Hector Rodriguez — and that's just to start. Putting together the pieces that create the best whole is important, even if the individual parts don't seem like the best choice for their respective role.

Cincinnati also has Jose Trevino under contract. While he has his flaws, he also has his merits. The one-time All-Star is a defensive stalwart, and he's a surprisingly good fastball hitter, while the rest of the team's roster has struggled some against four-seamers.

In service of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, there are some platoon-type catchers who can create a reasonable partnership with Trevino, while allowing the Reds to save money for investments in other areas of the roster.

These five catchers can be creative platoon partners the Reds can pair with Jose Trevino

Gary Sanchez

Normally, when we think of platoons, we think of a right-handed side and a left-handed side. In this case, though, we'd be talking about an offense-defense pairing. Gary Sanchez isn't the offensive force he was early in his career with the New York Yankees, when he looked like a future superstar, but he still has some pop in his bat.

El Gary put up his best offensive season in a while this year, hitting .209/.349/.422 with 12 homers over 87 games. He made just $1.75 million in 2026, and while he's set for a raise, Spotrac projects him for a one-year $4.4 million deal. If Cincinnati can get him for even less, it'd be even better.

Austin Hedges

If Sanchez is the offensive foil to Trevino's defensive-minded nature, then Austin Hedges is doubling down on the glove work. The 34-year-old has kicked around the big leagues for this long because of his prowess behind the plate, not for his abilities in the batter's box.

However, 2026 was uncharacteristically good for the former Cleveland Guardians' backstop. He hit .247/.325/.377, for a wRC+ of exactly 100. Compared to his career mark of 54, that's a huge leap. The underlying data doesn't really support that his breakout is for real, but he does have a very good chase rate and often squares up balls, even if he doesn't hit them very hard.

Jonah Heim

The year is 2023; Jonah Heim is 28 and coming off a then-career-best year the season prior. Defense was his calling card, but his bat was rising as he entered his prime. Then, he exploded, reached new heights, and became a World Series hero. That should have been the start of his ascent, but instead, it was the beginning of his downfall. From 2024 onward, he has produced exactly -1.0 fWAR.

In a weird way, though, Heim might be able to pair well with Trevino. He's a switch hitter, but hits significantly better from the right side than from the left. Still, those numbers are pretty good, with a .763 career OPS against lefties and an .855 line against them in 2026. Trevino is more or less the same hitter whether he's facing righties or lefties, so the Reds could let Heim mash lefties and then let Trevino handle the rest.

Christian Vazquez

Once upon a time, Christian Vazquez was a solid starting-caliber catcher. He could hit for average, had some pop, and was a very good defender. Now in his twilight years, much of his offensive skill has eroded. Now, this would be another doubling-down-on-defense scenario.

The benefit of bringing in Vazquez is the impact he would have on the pitching staff, especially youngsters like Rhett Lowder who might occupy one of the back-of-the-rotation roles. The Houston Astros' pitching was a mess in 2026, but their hurlers performed better when throwing to Vazquez, who is renowned for his game calling. Again, let's make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Victor Caratini

While the rest of this list is free-agent options, the Reds would have to trade with the Minnesota Twins for Victor Caratini. While that adds another layer of complexity, a deal shouldn't be hard for Cincinnati to swing. For one, Caratini is a buy-low candidate after hitting .220/.312/.315 this year. Many also expect the Twins to extend the qualifying offer to Ryan Jeffers. If he accepts, Minnesota could look to shed Caratini's salary.

Like Heim, Caratini is a switch-hitter, and prior to 2026, he had a run where he was very productive at the plate. From 2023 through 2025, he hit .262/.328/.400. He's been better against righties than lefties over the years, so he'd make for a more traditional platoon with Trevino.

Given the money he's owed, the $3.5 million buyout for his 2028 option, and giving up something in a trade to get him, an argument can be made that simply re-signing Stephenson is the better bet. However, maybe the Reds see more value in a one-year bridge to Alfredo Duno than a two-year commitment.

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