Reds get promising head start on their 2027 roster with Oswaldo Cabrera deal

We don't even know who the World Series participants are this year, and the Cincinnati Reds have already made an "offseason" signing. On Thursday, the Reds came to terms on a one-year deal with former New York Yankees utility man, Oswaldo Cabrera.

The terms were not immediately made available, but MLB Trade Rumors projected Cabrera to make $1.1 million through arbitration in 2027. With Cabrera now under contract, Cincinnati has 11 players who are still up for arbitration this offseason.

Cabrera joined the Reds late last season after spending his 2025 campaign with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was designated for assignment by New York and claimed off waivers by Cincinnati on September 18. Cabrera managed just 22 regular season at-bats over the final week-plus of the season, notching four base hits and a stolen base.

The Reds were always likely to keep Cabrera heading into 2027 — he's under team control through 2028 and was eligible for arbitration this offseason. But the deal itself could represent a significant shift for both the Reds and some of their players heading into the winter.

It'll be interesting to see how many other arbitration-eligible players, like Cabrera, agree to one-year contracts before the expected lockout on December 1. Furthermore, Cincinnati's commitment to Cabrera is an illustration of something Reds' president Nick Krall talked about earlier this month — filling in the bottom of the roster with complimentary players.

Oswaldo Cabrera is exactly the type of player the Reds need to find this offseason

When Spencer Steer went down with a wrist injury in late-July, the Reds lost one of their most versatile defenders. Steer played six different positions in 2026, not including DH. The 27-year-old underwent wrist surgery late last month, and while there's hope that he'll be ready by the time spring training rolls around, having a player like Cabrera under contract gives the Reds a nice insurance policy.

Cabrera already saw how the Reds might use him in 2027. He was only on the field for seven games in September, but saw time at four different positions. During his time with the Yankees, Cabrera played every position except catcher — yes, he even pitched for ⅓ of an inning during a blowout in 2024.

Locking in Cabrera's number early checks at least one box for Cincinnati, and Reds fans should expect more lowkey moves like this before the owners (likely) lock the players out on December 1.

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