3 players Christian Encarnacion-Strand could replace on the Reds roster

3. Christian Encarnacion-Strand could replace Curt Casali on the Reds roster.

The same notion surrounding Wil Myers probably holds true for Curt Casali as well. The Cincinnati Reds are unlikely to just let Casali for nothing, but if another club comes looking for a veteran backstop as the trade deadline approaches, Nick Krall could try to flip the catcher or a low-tier prospect.

The Reds intentionally signed both Casali and Luke Maile during the offseason in order to give Tyler Stephenson a break from squatting behind the dish. After seeing Stephenson hit the IL three times last season and churning through seven different starting catchers, the Reds refused to go down that road again in 2023.

The problem is, Stephenson is hitting well and the idea of carrying three catchers is beginning to look rather ridiculous. Between the three of them, each tends to gather two starts per week.

Curt Casali is a fine catcher, but he does not possess the same type of hitting fans have seen this season from Luke Maile. The University of Kentucky product has handled the lumber quite well this season, and there's a chance that Maile could be viewed as a longer team option as a backup catcher.

As with Wil Myers, moving on from Casali may be something the Reds would explore closer to the trade deadline. If the Reds are in no rush to promote Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the major league roster, perhaps the team waits until closer to the end of July, finds a trade partner for Curt Casali, and then calls up the infield prospect.