Reds shouldn't let their new philosophy cost them Tyler Stephenson

It's no secret that the Cincinnati Reds need an offensive overhaul this offseason. They ranked last in batting average (.229), on-base percentage (.305), and wRC+ (91) this year, with only two of their qualified players (Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart) finishing with an OPS above .750.

As such, the team is recommitting to a "hit over power" philosophy according to general manager Nick Krall, who also admitted that the players at the bottom of the roster simply weren't good enough to keep the Reds competitive when the stars were struggling or hurt. Thus, hitters who don't fit that archetype will be on the chopping block over the next few weeks, in an effort to improve the team's depth.

And yet, there's still a case to be made to keep Tyler Stephenson around. The free-agent-to-be has labored through a few strikeout-riddled seasons since an impressive showing in 2024, but his value behind the dish will be hard to replace in a weak free agent class.

Tyler Stephenson's value to Reds goes far beyond the batter's box

There's no denying that Stephenson the hitter isn't quite what he once was; he's struck out in over 30% of his plate appearance the past two years, posting a league-average wRC+ of 100 in that time. His power has also declined, with back-to-back campaigns of 15 or fewer homers and less than 40 extra-base hits. That's not terrible for a catcher, but it's hard to justify giving so many plate appearances to an all-or-nothing guy who doesn't get all of it that often anymore.

However, Stephenson the defender is a different story. He's far from an elite framer and he's no longer able to keep runners as honest as he once did, but there's a lot of value in his familiarity with the pitching staff. The Reds have a young rotation and it's clear their best arms trust the 30-year-old backstop. Both Chase Burns in 2026 (2.27 ERA, 32.4% strikeout rate in 87⅓ innings) and Andrew Abbott in 2025 (2.73 ERA, .668 opponent OPS in 108⅔ innings) were at their best with him behind the plate.

Jose Trevino is also a strong game-caller and a well-respected defensive catcher, but he's even further from the type of offensive player the Reds are seeking. He's a true backup at this point in his career, which makes one wonder why the organization wouldn't reunite with Stephenson on a short-term pact.

The long-term plan is obviously to entrust Alfredo Duno with the reins, but he's a 20-year-old with all of 32 games of experience above High-A. He needs a little more time. Meanwhile, the top free agents at the position are either going to be too expensive (Ryan Jeffers) or too much of a downgrade offensively (Austin Hedges, Kyle Higashioka) to seriously consider.

Perhaps the Reds could pry Carson Kelly out of Chicago -- his strikeout rate has sat below 20% for three straight seasons -- but he's otherwise been just about as productive as Stephenson since the start of last year.

Is forcing your pitching staff to get accustomed to a new catcher really worth a slight upgrade offensively? That's the kind of question Krall will have to wrestle with as the organization tries to recover from a disappointing season.

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