Reds demote slugger after brutal 2025 cameo to reinstate Connor Joe to roster

After nearly two weeks on the injured list, Cincinnati Reds utility man Connor Joe has been reinstated to the roster. Struggling outfielder Rece Hinds has been optioned to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.

The Reds had placed Joe on the 10-day IL with hand, foot and mouth disease on June 25 and recalled Ryan Vilade from Triple-A Louisville to replace him on the active roster. Vilade has since been sent back down to Louisiville, and now, Hinds will join him after a tough stretch with the big club.

Reds demote Rece Hinds after brutal 2025 cameo to reinstate Connor Joe to roster

Hinds has really struggled in his brief taste of Major League action this year. The 24-year-old outfielder is hitting just .119 with an OPS of .425 in 14 games this season for Cincinnati.

After being promoted from Triple-A Louisville on June 22, Hinds appeared in seven games for the Reds and went 2-for-23 with four runs scored. It was his second time he had been promoted this season after he went 3-for-19 with a pair of home runs for the big club in May. In between his two Major League cameos, Hinds tore it up at Triple-A with a June slash line of .381/.435/.683.

Hinds first burst onto the MLB scene in July of last year with a historic first week that saw him hit five home runs, three doubles and a triple to become the first rookie in Major League history to hit three homers and drive in eight runs during his first five games.

Hinds' early spark faded rather quickly, however, as he proceeded to go 1-for-12 with five strikeouts before being sent back to Triple-A. He was recalled again in August but served mostly in a reserve role, going 0-for-8 with three walks and three strikeouts over his final 11 plate appearances of the season.

It's clear that Hinds still has somethings to figure out, and it's hard to argue that the Reds are better with him on their roster than they are with Joe. The latter is slashing .245/.304/.327 with four extra-base hits since the Reds acquired him in a trade with the San Diego Padres earlier this season.

It's clear that Hinds still has some things to work on, and the Reds hope things will start clicking for him offensively. If he can rediscover his swing in Louisville this time around, he is all but guaranteed to be back in the Major Leagues at some point this season.

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