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.

2. The Reds should sign Nick Lodolo to a contract extension next.

Many Reds fans took to social media after it was announced that Cincinnati had reached contract extension with Hunter Greene to express their dismay that it wasn't Nick Lodolo. Many throughout Reds Country were claiming that the team "signed the wrong pitcher".

Now I'll be the first one to tell you that Lodolo may be the better long-term investment and could have a longer and more accomplished career once all the dust has settled. That being said, in no way to the Reds make a mistake by signing Greene to a six-year contract extension.

If anything, it sets the table and the market for Lodolo. Both Greene and Lodolo are former first-round draft picks, made their major league debuts during the same month last season, and both have had similar success at the major league level.

If Hunter Greene is viewed as part of the long-term plan, you'd have to assume that Nick Lodolo is as well. The left-hander, until Tuesday's outing that saw him allow eight runs in less than five innings, Lodolo had the look of the best pitcher on this year's Reds squad.

Be patient, Reds Country. Nick Lodolo will get a deal done as well. Will it be this season? Perhaps. If not, keep an eye on Lodolo as the offseason comes around. The Cincinnati Reds appear to be prioritizing their pitching staff going forward.

4. The Reds should sign Graham Ashcraft to a contract extension next.

After Hunter Greene exited Monday's start following a comebacker off his right leg, and Nick Lodolo surrendered eight runs in less than five innings on Tuesday, I'm a little less than thrilled to see Graham Ashcraft go to the mound on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

But hopefully Ashcraft can continue to put up the terrific numbers that Reds fans have seen from the right-hander to begin his sophomore season in the big leagues. Ashcraft came on strong in 2022, and he's carried that level of play over to the 2023 season as well.

Ashcraft doesn't have the pedigree of Hunter Greene, nor is he as polished as Nick Lodolo. But Ashcraft is an aggressive pitcher who challenges the opposition and has a wicked cut fastball.

Ashcraft also works quick, pitches to contact, and can get deep into games. The Alabama native had been seen as more a relief option in the minor leagues, but after proving the doubters wrong during his rookie season, he's made believers out of almost everyone in 2023.

So far this season, Graham Ashcraft has the lowest ERA of any Reds starting pitcher at 1.42. While he's never going to lead the league in strikeouts, Ashcraft is not going to change his approach. He's going to come after hitters, induce ground balls, and have an attitude while doing it.

A strong argument could be made that inking Ashcraft to a contract extension may be the most cost-effective signing the Cincinnati Reds could make. Perhaps the right-hander is the next Reds player to sign a contract extension.