Reds could address growing roster concern with expendable Guardians trade chips

The Cincinnati Reds have a growing problem behind the plate, and perhaps their in-state rival, the Cleveland Guardians, can (reluctantly) give them a hand.

Cincinnati's catching depth has already been tested this season with Jose Trevino hitting the injured list multiple times already in 2026. P.J. Higgins has provided adequate coverage in Trevino's absence, but he's little more than journeyman backstop who'll be shoved off the 40-man roster at some point before the end of the year.

The bigger issue, of course, is Tyler Stephenson's impending free agency. The former first-round pick will hit the open market this coming winter, and by all accounts, he's unlikely to be re-signed.

Alfredo Duno is certainly a promising young prospect, but he's still in High-A at the moment and is unlikely to make his Major League debut until the latter-part of the 2027 season at the earliest. The Reds need a stopgap solution to pair with Trevino next season until Duno is major-league; and that's where the Guardians come in.

Reds need to add another catcher with Tyler Stephenson's free agency approaching

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), rival clubs are beginning to contact the Guardians about their abundance of catching depth at Triple-A. Currently, Bo Naylor, Kody Huff, and Cooper Ingle are all in the minor leagues, and with Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey on the big-league roster, it's apparent that Cleveland has more backstops than they need.

Naylor is on the Guardians' 40-man roster, under team control through 2029, has minor-league options remaining, and has played over 300 games at the Major League level. He's a solid, but unspectacular defender, and below average at framing pitches. For his career, Naylor owns a .199/.279/.372 slash line.

None of those numbers are overly impressive, but remember we're talking about a serviceable backup and/ or platoon partner for Trevino who can help usher in Duno when the time comes. In terms of receiving, Cleveland consistently has one of the best pitching staffs in the league, so Naylor's got to be doing something right behind the dish. It also doesn't hurt that he played under Terry Francona in 2022 and 2023.

The other two players are prospects. Huff was traded to the Guardians in 2023 and is having a tremendous year offensively at Triple-A. Currently, he's hitting .294/.402/.528 with a 14.4% walk rate and 144 wRC+. Huff is regarded as an above-average defender, and has also seen time at the corner infield spots and acted as the team's designated hitter.

Ingle is extremely athletic, and though he stands just 5-foot-8, the diminutive backstop has plenty of pop in his bat. Ingle was on the IL earlier this season, but in 42 games, he's hitting .295/.444/.547 with nine home runs and a 161 wRC+.

Given Stephenson's current status on the roster, the Reds shouldn't be in a rush to make a deal with the Guardians. In fact, Rosenthal mentioned that the upcoming free agent class — which is incredibly weak — might keep Cleveland from trading one of their talent backstops this summer and instead seek a higher price tag when teams become desperate during the offseason.

This type of trade would be a long-term play on the part of the Reds front office, and it wouldn't address any of the immediate needs that are currently plaguing this year's team. But this soon-to-be gaping hole in the roster cannot be ignored, and it may be prudent for Cincinnati to be proactive and address this issue before it becomes an even bigger problem.

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