Yankees castoff Oswaldo Cabrera gives Reds a Ke'Bryan Hayes' insurance policy

At first blush, Oswaldo Cabrera might not seem like much. The newest Cincinnati Reds player has a history of being a light-hitting utility man during his New York Yankees tenure. That has some value, though it's nothing earth-shattering, but there are actually a few reasons why Cabrera could be a a sneaky-good pickup for the Reds.

Before talking about Cabrera the player, one must talk about Cabrera the person. The 27-year-old is simultaneously an energizer bunny and a ray of sunshine. He maintains an incredibly positive outlook at all times. Just listen to these gushing reviews from Yankees media members.

"I’ve been a sports reporter for 12 years. I’ve not met a nicer person in this business than Oswaldo Cabrera. As genuine as they come," Chris Kirschner of The Athletic said.

"Oswaldo Cabrera, who is as kind and as gracious as any baseball player I’ve covered, is headed to the Reds. Best of luck to a versatile player and a gem of a human being," YES Network studio analyst and Yankees insider Jack Curry stated.

Terry Francona has heard the rave reviews and is excited. Cincy's skipper called the reports of his makeup "off the charts" and praised his versatility as a player who has experience at every position on the field except catcher, if we include the ⅓ of an inning he threw in mop-up duty back in 2024.

Bring back Eugenio Suarez, throw in a dash of Sal Stewart, and pair them both with Cabrera and the Reds will lead the league in vibes next year. That might not be the primary factor that drives wins, but it doesn't hurt, either.

Oswaldo Cabrera can push Ke'Bryan Hayes while opening up the Reds' options

Another thing to know about Cabrera's time in New York is that he was never given much of an opportunity. He came through the Yankees system primarily playing shortstop, stuck behind a top-10 prospect in the league, Anthony Volpe, and a prospect just outside the top 50, Oswald Peraza. It's no surprise then that those two more highly-touted youngsters got the lion's share of the playing time at the big league level.

However, 2025 seemed like an opportunity for Cabrera. Peraza had fallen out of favor with the Yankees, DJ LeMahieu was chronically injured, and New York had a massive hole at third base. Peraza seemed to be staking his claim to the position.

Last April, he slashed .294/.364/.354 and increasingly got more reps at third. Unfortunately, any momentum he had generated came to a screeching hault when he suffered a gruesome broken ankle during a May game against the Seattle Mariners and had to be taken off in an ambulance.

It's been a long road back, but while Cabrera only got into three MLB games this season, he's shined at Triple-A Scranton. Over 122 games, he's posted a .288/.345/.444 line with 19 homers and 12 stolen bases. It's encouraging, and maybe if given the opportunity, he can prove to be an effective major league regular.

That could be good news for the Reds, who have a real Ke'Bryan Hayes problem. With three years remaining on his contract, it's unlikely that Cincinnati will cut bait, although that would be the best course of action.

To that end, Cabrera can push Hayes and prove to be solid competition. Even if Hayes wins a spring training battle, Cabrera could prove to be valuable insurance if he flounders offensively or if his balky back acts up again and causes him to miss time.

Even if Cabrera doesn't end up usurping Hayes, the Venezuelan native can provide another added benefit. His extreme versatility will open up Cincinnati's options this offseason. Because he can cover so many different positions, the Reds can pursue more positionally limited players with higher offensive ceilings because they don't need to worry about finding a backup in certain spots. Instead, Cabrera can serve as the superutility man who is the go-to at nearly every position on the field.

Cabrera might not be a star, but he'll be a joy to have on the team. He'll find a way to contribute, and don't be surprised if he has a bigger impact than one might think.

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