Who could surprise us? The under-the-radar free agents the Reds should target

The Cincinnati Reds are not known to go after big names in the free agent market. The front office went off script in 2019 signing Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos, and Shogo Akiyama, but that kind of blew up in their face.

But the Reds are known to target those under-the radar free agents — player's coming off injury or one-time All-Stars who endured a down-year during the previous season and are looking to establish themselves once again. With that in mind, are there any surprising under-the-radar players the Reds should target in free agency this offseason?

Who could surprise us? The under-the-radar free agents the Reds should target

Luis Urías, free agent infielder

Reds fans will remember Luis Urías from his time with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 27-year-old was traded to the Seattle Mariners last offseason, but spent most of the year in Triple-A Tacoma. Urías played in just 41 games for the Mariners last season, but posted a 107 wRC+. His final two years in Milwaukee were successful, and Urías would give Cincinnati an above-average glove at third base if Noelvi Marte falters.

Robbie Grossman, free agent outfielder

Robbie Grossman has a career .800 OPS against left-handed pitching, but he's not going to offer much of an upgrade defensively. The past three seasons Grossman is worth -7 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -9 outs above average (OAA) according to FanGraphs. But if the Reds are looking for a better platoon bat than Stuart Fairchild to pair with Jake Fraley and Will Benson, Grossman could be a solid pick up. The switch hitter rarely chases pitches outside the strike zone and typically carries a high walk rate.

Spencer Turnbull, free agent pitcher

Former top prospect Spencer Turnbull had his best season in 2024. The former second-round pick was 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 17 appearances, including seven starts. A lat strain ended Turnbull's season, but if he's fully healthy, the 32-year-old could be a shrewd addition to the Reds bullpen. On the plus side, in a pinch, the Reds could also deploy Turnbull as a starter. The right-hander went at least two innings or more in 12 of his 17 outings last season.

Jose Urquidy, free agent pitcher

Adding Jose Urquidy could be a sneaky-good addition on the part of Nick Krall and Reds' front office. The right-hander underwent season-ending elbow surgery last summer and refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues this offseason. Urquidy gets plenty of chase and is master of soft contact. Provided he's on track to recover from elbow surgery, Urquidy could join the backend of the Reds starting rotation sometime around the All-Star break.

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