Done Deal: Understand Reds trade useful backup to A’s, lost key piece of their roster

The Cincinnati Reds parted ways with a key roster member on Sunday, completing a trade that sent catcher to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash considerations. While some fans may be disappointed with the modest return, His’ overall career performance limited his trade value.

He served as a reliable backup to catchers Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino, stepping up early in the season when Stephenson was sidelined by a spring training oblique injury. The veteran catcher performed well during that stretch but saw reduced playing time once Stephenson returned from the injured list.

Cincinnati had carried three catchers for much of the season due to a lack of minor league depth at the position. However, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand rejoining the lineup last week, the Reds ultimately chose to designate Wynns for assignment.

 

 

Reds trade Austin Wynns to A’s and now have one less option they can trust

Austin Wynns’ performance this season was simply too strong for a rebuilding team like the Athletics to overlook. He posted an impressive .400/.442/.700 slash line and a 213 wRC+, though those stats came in just 43 plate appearances — a very limited sample size.

For the Reds, the real concern lies in their thin minor league catching depth. While Cincinnati has used recent drafts to invest in the position — selecting players like Mat Nelson, Cade Hunter, Logan Tanner, and Connor Burns — none are anywhere near ready for the majors.

 

 

Their top catching prospect, Alfredo Duno, is still in Low-A and not expected to debut in MLB until sometime after 2027. The current Triple-A options in Louisville — Will Banfield, P.J. Higgins, and Eric Yang — don’t inspire much confidence if either Tyler Stephenson or Jose Trevino ends up on the injured list.

Now that Wynns has joined the A’s in West Sacramento, don’t be surprised if the Reds look to sign a veteran catcher to a minor league deal. Former Reds Gold Glove winner Tucker Barnhart just rejoined the Rangers, but other familiar names like Aramis Garcia and Jacob Stallings have recently become available and could be targets for Cincinnati.