Reds trade Fernando Cruz to Yankees for Gold Glove catcher

The Cincinnati Reds have been searching all offseason for a backup catcher and finally found one on Friday night. The Reds traded relief pitcher Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson to the New York Yankees in exchange for former Gold Glove Award-winner Jose Trevino.

After declining Luke Maile's team-option for 2025, it became necessary for Nick Krall and the Reds front office to find a suitable backup for starting catcher Tyler Stephenson. The aforementioned Jackson was signed to a minor-league deal earlier this offseason, but Krall was adamant about finding a backstop who could shoulder the load if Stephenson went down. Trevino can do just that.

Reds trade Fernando Cruz to Yankees for Gold Glove catcher Luis Trevino

Trevino has battled wrist and quad injuries the past couple of seasons, but such is the life of major league catcher. Since 2023, Trevino has appeared in 128 games and hit just .213/275/.336. Trevino became expendable this past season after losing his starting job to AL Rookie of the Year finalist Austin Wells.

Trevino brings a level of defense behind the plate that Cincinnati hasn't had since Tucker Barnhart was hanging the signs back in 2021. Last season, Trevino ranked among the best in the game in both both blocks above average and framing according to Baseball Savant. Over the past three seasons, Trevino has been worth 37 defensive runs saved (DRS) according to FanGraphs.

But while Trevino's defense behind the plate could be considered elite, he struggles to control the run game. Trevino's pop time was among the worse baseball last season and only cut down 13 of 70 would-be base stealers. Trevino's bat is below-average as well. The 32-year-old has a career 75 OPS+ and he hit just .215/.288/.354 last season. However, Trevino doesn't strikeout often (17.7% career strikeout rate).

In return, the Yankees are receiving a reliever who possesses one of the most un-hittable pitches in the sport. Cruz's splitter is one of the most deceptive offerings in baseball, with opponents hitting just .116 off it last season. Cruz's whiff and strikeout rates were among the best in MLB last season, as he recorded 109 punch outs in 66⅔ innings.

However, Cruz can become erratic at times as evidenced by his 12.2% walk rate. Cruz was lights out through the first two months of the season, but his numbers took a dip from June through the end of the season. Over his final 41 innings of work, Cruz posted a 5.49 ERA with an 11.5% walk rate while also surrendering eight home runs.

The biggest disparity in the trade is Cruz's four years of team-control in exchange for the free agent to-be in Trevino. The veteran backstop is estimated to make approximately $3 million in 2025 before hitting the open market after the season.

But the Reds no longer have to search for their backup catcher. With the combination of Stephenson and Trevino behind the plate, perhaps Krall and Co. can now focus on filling the void in the outfield. Cruz will be missed, but Cincinnati has plenty of options to help backfill high-leverage spots in the bullpen, including young hurlers like Zach Maxwell, Luis Mey, and Sam Moll.

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