3 takeaways from the transactions that leaves Tyler Stephenson as the Reds only catcher

3. The Reds could add one of their catching prospects to the roster.

The Cincinnati Reds have several catching prospects currently in the farm system. The team selected Logan Tanner out of Mississippi State in the second-round of last year's draft, and the 21-year-old may well profile as an eventual replacement for Tyler Stephenson. But don't look for Tanner to debut anytime soon.

The Reds also have another catching prospects ranked among their Top 30 according to MLB Pipeline. Matheu Nelson, whom the team drafted out of Florida State in 2021, is another capable backstop in the Reds farm system. Cincinnati also has another former second-round pick in Jackson Miller, but the 20-year-old's professional career has been marred by injuries thus far.

If you're looking for a name among the Reds minor leagues, Daniel Vellojin is the guy. Much like Noelvi Marte and Elly De La Cruz, if Cincinnati hopes to protect Vellojin from the Rule 5 Draft, he'll need to be added to the 40-man roster in the coming weeks.

But Vellojin's production with the Chattanooga Lookouts wasn't all that good. After hitting very well at both Low-A Daytona and High-A Dayton, the leap to Double-A seemed a bit too much for the Colombian. That said, Vellojin is revered more for his defensive abilities than his hitting. The 22-year-old has above-average arm strength and is well-regarded for his ability to work with his battery mates.

Chuckie Robinson being on the team's Triple-A roster gives the Cincinnati Reds an emergency option with major league experience, but it's clear that continued development of the team's top catching prospects will be a priority in 2023. Look for Vellojin to sneak onto the Reds 40-man roster and perhaps even debut next season.