Reds’ Young Core Showing Alarming Regression Over Time

On Monday, the Reds made two transactions that would have been hard for fans to believe back in 2023. They sent a struggling Noelvi Marte down to Triple-A Louisville. Rece Hinds was called up on Tuesday in place of Marte. Also on Monday, the Reds traded Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations after designating the slugger for assignment last week.

Marte and Encarnacion-Strand were two players who looked like they were going to be a massive part of the future back in 2023.

I took a deep dive into what we once considered the “young core” in 2023 and how each player has progressed or regressed since then.

Spencer Steer

Mar 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Spencer Steer was acquired along with Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the trade that sent Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins. He was a late call-up in 2022, appearing in just 28 games before breaking out in 2023.

In 2023, Steer had a huge year, slashing .271/.356/.465 with 63 extra-base hits, including 23 home runs. He had a wRC+ of 118. 100 is considered average. Below is how he's done since then:

2024:
158 Games
.225/.319/.402
wRC+ 98

2025:
146 Games
.238/.312/.411
wRC+ 97

2026:
14 Games
.176/.218/.353 wRC+ 52

Steer has been a slightly below-average player since his breakout season in 2023. He's really struggled thus far in 2026, especially against right-handed pitching, but 14 games is still a small sample size. Was 2023 just a fluke?

Matt McLain

Apr 7, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) hits a two RBI double against the Miami Marlins during the tenth nning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Matt McLain broke onto the scene in 2023 when he was called up in May. He instantly became Cincinnati's best offensive player, slashing .290/.357/.507 with 43 extra-base hits and a wRC+ of 129. In 2024, he missed the entire season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Spring Training.

Below is how he's done since then:

2025:
147 Games
.220/.300/.343
wRC+ 88

2026:
16 Games
.217/.329/.267
wRC+ 75

It can be hard to bounce back from major shoulder surgery, which is what some are attributing McLain's tough season to last year. After a huge Spring Training, McLain has struggled to find any of his power through 16 games this season. The Reds need McLain to be a big part of their offense if they want to contend. Will he ever return to being the player he was in 2023?

Will Benson

Apr 5, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Reds left fielder Will Benson (30) celebrates after hitting a double against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Will Benson was traded to the Reds just ahead of the 2023 season from the Cleveland Guardians. He had an unbelievable season with the Reds in 2023, slashing .275/.365/.498 with 34 extra-base hits and a wRC+ of 128. Since then, it's all gone downhill for the outfielder:

2024:
128 Games
.187/.274/.376
wRC+ 76

2025:
90 Games
.226/.273/.435
wRC+ 85

2026:
14 Games
.179/.281/.286
wRC+ 61

Benson went from looking like a player who could be an All-Star to a player who is struggling to find playing time. It’s becoming harder to envision Benson returning to his 2023 form, and fans are beginning to question how much longer he’ll have a role on this team.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Traded to the Orioles in April 2026)

Jun 24, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (33) hits a single in the third inning against the New York Yankees at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was the last of the trio of himself, Elly De La Cruz, and Matt McLain to get called up in 2023. He appeared in 63 games, slashing .270/.328/.477 with 20 extra-base hits, including 13 home runs. Since then, it's been a struggle to stay healthy as well as a struggle at the plate:

2024:
29 Games
.190/.220/.293
wRC+ 35

2025:
36 Games
.208/.234/.377
wRC+ 59

CES as the fans call him, struggled so mightily that the Reds decided to move on him, designating him for assignment last week before trading him to the Baltimore Orioles earlier this week. Encarnacion-Strand was simply chasing too many pitches out of the zone, which is not a way to have successs in the big leages.

Noelvi Marte

Apr 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte (4) scores a run on a wild pitch by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Chase Silseth in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Noelvi Marte came to the Reds when they traded Luis Castillo to the Seattle Mariners in a package that also included prospect Edwin Arroyo.

Marte was a surprise callup in 2023, but he was impressive in his 35 games. The 21-year-old at the time slashed .316/.366/.456 with 10 extra-base hits and six stolen bases. Just before the 2024 season, Marte was suspended 80 games for violating the league performance enhancing drug policy. Since then, he's had lots of ups and downs.

2024:
66 Games
.210/.248/.301
wRC+ 48

2025:
90 Games
.263/.300/.448
wRC+ 101

2026
11 Games
.138/.194/.138
wRC+ -7

After struggling in 2024 after he came back from his suspension, Marte bounced back in a big way in 2025, although he struggled down the stretch. Fast forward to this season, he’s been in an inconsistent role without everyday at-bats, and the results have reflected that, as he’s struggled to a .138/.194/.138 slash line with a -7 wRC+. The Reds sent him down to Triple-A Louisville on Monday. Marte has elite upside and he's certainly a player that the Reds should not give up on. But he needs every day at-bats and going down to Triple-A Louisville should help him.

Elly De La Cruz

Apr 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) takes the field before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Elly De La Cruz is the lone player in the group who has progressed and not regressed. He exploded onto the scene in the summer of 2023, but cooled down to end the year, slashing .235/.300/.410 with 35 extra-base hits and 35 stolen bases. Since then, he has shown improvement each year. Techincally, his numbers were down in 2025, but that was mostly due to playing through an injured quad in the second half of last year.

2024:
160 Games
.259/.339/.471
wRC+ 119

2025:
162 Games
.264/.336/.440
wRC+ 109

2026:
16 Games
.281/.361/.563
wRC+ 154

He has been awesome thus far in 2026 and there is no reason to think he's going to slow down anytime soon.

What Does This All Mean?

It's a great question that I am not sure I have the answer to. However, it’s a concerning trend when you look at a group of six core players and see that five of them have taken a step back.

I’m sure the Reds are working to identify why this is happening, but as a small market team, they simply need more of their prospects to come through and deliver at the major league level.

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