4 Reds players who should also be signed long-term after Hunter Greene's contract extension

There were a lot of rumblings this past offseason about which Cincinnati Reds player would be the first to sign a contract extension. Turns out, it's Hunter Greene.

The Reds inked the former first-round draft pick to a six-year contract extension worth $53-million. According to our good friend Robert Murray of FanSided, the Reds hold a team option for the 2029 season and escalators in the deal could push the total value of the contract to over $90-million.

This is exactly the way the Reds will need to do business. The Cincinnati faithful know all too well that the Reds are not going to compete on the open market against the big boys. So in order to maintain relevance, the Reds need to extend their core group of players. Who should be up next?

1. The Reds should sign Tyler Stephenson to a contract extension next.

Honestly, this may be the most controversial Cincinnati Reds player who could be up for a contract extension, and here's why; is Tyler Stephenson a catcher, a first baseman, or a designated hitter?

He could be all three, and there in lies the dilemma when discussing a potential contractt extension. After injuries took their toll on Stephenson in 2022, the Reds made the decision to switch the 26-year-old from playing exclusively behind the dish.

Since the 2023 season began, Stephenson has seen eight games at catcher, three at first base, and has acted as the team's DH on five occasions. Finding a number that's mutually beneficial for both the team's primary backstop and the Reds front office will be a tough task for Nick Krall and Stephenson's representatives will be easier said than done.

Depending on the organization's long-term outlook, Tyler Stephenson should at least be considered for a contract extension in the near future. With so few options at catcher behind Stephenson in the minor leagues, it may behoove the Redlegs to ink the former first-round pick to a long-term deal.