Nick Martinez ignited campaign to extend Tyler Stephenson and Reds fans are all in

If there's one player who embodies the Cincinnati Reds organization as a whole, it's Tyler Stephenson. The Reds' catcher is the longest tenured player on this year's team, and after returning from a brief stint on the injured list, Stephenson's reminding fans, coaches, and his teammates just how valuable he truly is.

No one has been a bigger advocate for Stephenson than his battery-mate Nick Martinez, who went bat for his catcher earlier this week. After his start on Sunday against the Washington Nationals, Martinez advised the Reds' front office to sign Stephenson to a long-term contract extension.

This was not the first time that Martinez has spoken up in favor of Stephenson. During the offseason, Martinez let everyone know where he stood on the subject, and then once again during spring training, the right-hander reminded reporters that the Reds should consider extending Stephenson beyond his arbitration window.

Reds pitcher Nick Martinez ignited campaign to extend Tyler Stephenson

Having locked up fellow backstop Jose Trevino to a three-year contract earlier this spring, the urgency to keep Ty Steve in Cincinnati isn't nearly what it was. Entering spring training, Trevino had just one year of team control remaining, but will now be part of the Reds organization through 2027.

Stephenson will be heading into his final year of arbitration eligibility next offseason, so the time to get a deal done was this past winter. Unfortunately, that window has come and gone. Negotiations don't often occur during the season, but it's not unheard of. Realistically, however, if Cincinnati's front office has any intention of inking Stephenson to a long-term deal, it needs to be done before spring training next year.

The Reds have failed to develop major league catchers in the past, and while both Trevino and Austin Wynns have played well at the outset of the 2025 season, both are viewed as backups. Cincy has high hopes for their top catching prospect, Alfredo Duno, but there's plenty of concern about his ability to stick behind the plate.

This conversation isn't going away, and it would seem that Martinez won't let anyone forget either. If Stephenson continues to hit like he did in 2024, it's going be difficult to enter the upcoming offseason with a long-term deal in place. With the automated ball-strike system (ABS) on it's way, pitch framing becomes less important, and having a bat-first catcher in the lineup will take top priority as the sport continues to evolve.

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