Tyler Stephenson Shares Unfortunate Update About Contract Talks With Reds

Last spring, the Reds signed backup catcher Jose Trevino to a three-year contract extension for $15 million.

While Trevino is known for being a fantastic leader and teammate, his offensive production doesn't sniff the production Tyler Stephenson provides offensively.

While Trevino slashed .238/.272/.351 with 24 extra-base hits in 2025, Stephenson slashed 231/.316/.421 with 31 extra-base hits in just 88 games. With free agency looming after the season, the Reds may soon have to decide whether to trade Stephenson, work out an extension, or let him walk.

On Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard caught up with the catcher to ask him if there have been any talks about a potential discussion. He mentioned there had been talks last spring, but nothing came together.

“We’ll see,” Stephenson told Goldsmith. “You never rule anything out. It’s tough. You’re a year away, and everyone always talks about free agency. Everybody wants a taste of it. If it makes sense for both us and the Reds, for sure. But there haven’t been any talks since last year.”

Over the last two seasons, Stephenson ranks sixth in OPS (.764) among catchers with at least 100 starts. Only 16 catchers in all of Major League Baseball have reached that threshold while posting an above-average OPS.

What Should They Do?

Sep 26, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) hits a sacrifice fly ball during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Personally, I think the Reds need to find a way to extend Stephenson. He's a big piece of their offense and without his bat in the lineup, the offense drops off significantly. Alfredo Duno is the next catching prospect in line, but he will likely not reach the bigs until 2027 at the absolute earliest.

However, if the Reds aren't willing to extend him, it would be painful to lose him for nothing. He is a player they could look at shipping out at the trade deadline, even if they're in contention. As crazy as that sounds, teams like the Brewers make moves like that all of the time and it's a big reason they have so much success year in and year out.

You can read Goldsmith's full article on Stephenson with more quotes here.

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