Reds sure sound ready to move on from Tyler Stephenson

The clubhouse stalwart, Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, will finally be a free agent. After years of speculation about an eventual extension, the veteran could be heading out of Cincinnati, and Reds president Nick Krall doesn’t seem to be jumping at the chance to bring Stephenson back.

Krall has finally come to recognize the team’s blunders when it comes to free agency. Cincinnati has been chasing power by signing players like Jeimer Candelario and Eugenio Suárez, but slugging hasn’t translated into more runs scored or wins.

Instead, according to Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith, Krall seems dedicated to upgrading the lineup by emphasizing on-base and small-ball skills, and Stephenson doesn’t fit that model.

The Reds' shift from power to small ball leaves Tyler Stephenson out in the cold

For all of Stephenson’s success at the plate, he has a career OPS+ of 104, meaning he is only slightly better than the average ballplayer. His strikeout rate in 2026 was 27.4%, putting him in 14th percentile in the majors. Backup catcher Jose Trevino, on the other hand, has a strikeout rate of 18.6%.

Trevino, though, can’t be the answer behind the plate full-time. The last time he played more than 100 games in a season was in 2022, so Krall will need to be engaging in the trade or free-agent market to improve upon Stephenson.

Ryan Jeffers would be the best fit for Krall’s new focus on plate discipline and balanced hitting. The former Minnesota Twins backstop (unfortunately a Scott Boras client) was in the top quarter of the major leagues in whiff rate and walk rate. Even better, his right-handed pull approach fits Great American Ball Park perfectly. Similarly, Chcago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, who is also a free agent, has a solid plate approach with elite blocking skills behind the plate.

In fact, Kelly, an 11-year veteran, could be the ideal candidate for Cincinnati. At 32 years old, he may be willing to pick up a short-term contract (although the CBA negotiations may interfere with that idea), leaving room for Alfredo Duno to take over the starting job in the next few seasons.

Whoever ends up serving as Cincinnati’s primary catcher in 2027, it seems clear that the position is in flux. All signs point to Stephenson finding a new home this offseason.

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