Reds Facing Major Decision, Key Player’s Contract Situation Heats Up

The Reds took Tyler Stephenson in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) grits his teeth after hitting in a sacrifice fly, scoring Austin Hayes in the eighth inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The Reds were eliminated from the postseason with an 8-4 loss to the reining World Series Champions La Dodgers. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — One of the more interesting storylines going into Opening Day is that the Reds have a decision looming with Tyler Stephenson going into his final year of his contract.

They only have one other catcher with more than a handful of games of Major League experience. Jose Trevino is going into his age 33 season and is under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028. Will Banfield made his Major League debut last season in Stephenson's absence, but has only played in seven games. Connor Burns was drafted in 2023 in the fifth round but has yet to reach Triple-A at age 24. Two catchers that I see as legitimate long-term options are still a few years away: Ryan McCrystal and Alfredo Duno. McCrystal was the Reds ninth-round pick in 2024 out of East Carolina, and Duno is currently the 38th-ranked prospect in baseball.

That leaves Michael Trautwein, PJ Higgins, and Will Banfield as the highest-level catching depth behind Trevino, with only Banfield having experience at the big-league level. The Reds will either have to add during the offseason, trust that one of these three can be a good enough backup to Trevino, or they will surprise everyone and extend Stephenson before the offseason begins. 

The Reds and Stephenson went into an arbitration battle over $250,000 after not agreeing to a contract prior to the arbitration deadline.

“It was better than what I was prepared for,” Stephenson told The Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer. “Everybody’s got a different experience. I was prepared for worse. Maybe I was just thinking it was going to be worse in my mind. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

Stephenson is one of the more productive catchers in recent Reds history. In five seasons, he has a career .261 average with a .764 OPS and 63 home runs.

What's Next?

Jul 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) at bat in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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The Reds probably can't afford to trade Stephenson at this point. Should they really let a player of his caliber walk in free agency? They could use a qualifying offer this offseason, but with an impending lockout at season's end, that may be unlikely with all of the potential changes with a new collective bargaining agreement and financial uncertainty.

Regardless, Stephenson is going to be the Reds catcher on Opening Day and it may be his final opener in Cincinnati.