Reds slugger scheduled to receive extra reps with unusual offseason assignment

When the Cincinnati Reds swung a trade with the Minnesota Twins back in 2022, they couldn't have hoped for a better outcome. The Reds shipped former starting pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Twins in exchange for three prospects.

One of those prospects was Spencer Steer, who's has turned into one of the most reliable players on the Reds' roster. In his second full season in the bigs, Steer leads the Reds in RBI and with 20th home run earlier this week, joined his teammate Elly De La Cruz in the 20/20 club.

But Steer was just one of the players whom the Reds acquired in that deal. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steve Hajjar were packaged in that deal as well. While Hajjar was sent to the Cleveland Guardians as part of the trade for Will Benson, Encarnacion-Strand was viewed as a long-term piece in the Cincinnati infield. Unfortunately, the slugger endured an injury-plagued season in 2024.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand will join Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo in the Arizona Fall League

Encarnacion-Strand was supposed to be a force in the middle of the Reds batting order this season. Encarnacion-Strand has massive pop, and with Joey Votto no longer in Cincinnati, the former Twins farmhand was expected to supplant the six-time All-Star at first base.

But Encarnacion-Strand only played in 29 games and posted a .513 OPS in was has been a disappointing season. Encarnacion-Strand was hit in the hand by a pitch during a game in April and eventually landed on the IL. Further testing later revealed the 24-year-old suffered a broken wrist and would require surgery. The slugger was then deemed out for the rest of the 2024 campaign.

But Encarnacion-Strand will get in plenty of work during the offseason. In a bit of an odd move, the Reds are sending Encarncion-Strand to the Arizona Fall League in a couple of weeks. Typically reserved for prospects, the AFL is oftentimes a proving ground for young players. Encarnacion-Strand has little to prove other than that the fact that he's healthy, but a trip to Arizona this fall will be just what the doctor ordered.

The Reds need Encarnacion-Strand to return next spring ready to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. There'll be competition for sure, but Encarnacion-Strand's bat was sorely missed, and getting in some extra reps in the AFL should help prepare the former fourth-round pick for the 2025 season. This is a wise move on the part of the Reds' front office.

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