Reds recent signing suddenly reminds fans of a forgotten roster move

The holiday season kept a lot of the Cincinnati Reds signings hidden for the last couple of weeks. But with Christmas and New Year's Day now in the rearview mirror, fans are gearing up for spring training and catching up on the latest roster news.

Before the calendar flipped to 2026, the Reds made a handful of Minor League signings. According to the team's transaction log, second basemen Michael Chavis and Garrett Hampson, along with pitchers Brandon Leibrandt and Josh Staumont were all signed to minor-league deals in December and assigned to Triple-A Louisville.

Chavis represents the only newcomer on the list, as Hampson, Leibrandt, and Staumont all spent time with the Reds at some point over the last two years. Leibrandt pitched for Cincinnati in 2024, while both Hampson and Staumont were part of the organization last season.

Reds recent signings offer a reminder that Santiago Espinal is still in the organization

But Hampson, Liebrandt, and Staumont aren't the only familiar faces on the Louisville Bats roster. Many Reds fans probably forgot that Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment last year, and outrighted to Triple-A Louisville. In other words, Espinal is still part of the Reds' organization, and it's a good bet that he'll receive a non-roster invite to spring training next month.

Espinal had his fair share of detractors last season. The slick-fielding infielder made a name for himself thanks to his elite glove-work with the Toronto Blue Jays, and was traded to the Reds in 2024. While never all that impressive with the bat, Espinal's defensive versatility allowed him to maintain a spot on the Reds roster into last season.

Espinal quickly became a favorite of manager Terry Francona, and saw more starts than he probably should have at various points last season — he even logged some time in the outfield. It was painfully obvious that the only reason Cincinnati didn't promote Sal Stewart to the big leagues sooner was due to the fact they would've had to expose Espinal to waivers — something that undoubtedly made Francona shudder.

With Hampson now in the fold, Espinal will have a fight on his hands this spring if he hopes to break camp with the big-league ball club. If the Reds are able to leave Goodyear fully healthy, it's difficult to see either player being part of the team's Opening Day roster, but stranger things have happened.