Tyler Stephenson's disappointing 2023 season presents the Reds with problems moving forward

The Reds could entertain the idea of trading for a catcher to replace Tyler Stephenson.

Might the Cincinnati Reds inquire about a trade? Sure. The Arizona Diamondbacks traded from a position of strength this past offseason in order to acquire Gabriel Moreno from the Toronto Blue Jays. The Washington Nationals acquired Keibert Ruiz a couple years ago from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Shea Langeliers behind the plate in Oakland, perhaps the A's would part ways with Tyler Stoderstrom. The former first-round pick is among the catching prospects in baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

But if the Reds go that route, then they're basically giving up on Tyler Stephenson after one subpar season. Not only that, but Stephenson underwent major surgery last year, and that could very well be the cause of his downward turn in production.

Adding a catcher to replace Stephenson would almost assuredly mean that the Reds would need to trade the former first-round pick. They'd then be receiving pennies on the dollar, as Stephenson's value has likely never been lower.

Reds Country should probably expect to see the Cincinnati Reds run it back in 2024 with the combination of Tyler Stephenson and Luke Maile behind the plate. It wouldn't be a shock if Curt Casali is retained either.

At the very least, Cincinnati could pick up Casali's option and trade him during the offseason to a team in need of a veteran backstop. Reds fans know all too well, after burning through seven catchers in 2022, that those types of players are always in demand.