How Will the Cincinnati Reds Fit Tyler Stephenson Back Into the Lineup?

When Tyler Stephenson opened the season on the injured list many had concerns about the Reds catching situation. Jose Trevino, who the Reds acquired from the Yankees over the winter, is a solid veteran back up but the depth past Trevino was a bit iffy.

Austin Wynns, a 34-year-old journeyman who’s bounced on and off 40-man rosters, was called upon to fill the backup role. Wynn has built a reputation for his glove, but the way he is swinging the bat has fans questioning if he should stick on the roster once Stephenson returns in the coming week.

Crazy, right? Stephenson has cemented himself as the Reds catcher over the past several seasons and is coming off his best overall season. However, if the Reds so choose, they can get creative with how the manage the roster and keep three catchers while all receive ample playing time.

Surprising Production from Behind the Plate

The only reason we are even having this discussion is because of the production Trevino and Wynns has brought the team. Although neither is known for the bat, both have an OPS north of .800 and have come up big in spots for Cincinnati.

Trevino is currently slashing .308/.357/.481 good for 126 wRC+. He’s offered a huge boost to a lineup that desperately needed it, but how much should we buy in? We are talking about a guy with 420 major league games under his belt with a career 76 wRC+ without a single season breaching the 100 wRC+ threshold.

The advanced metrics are not much different from pervious years, leading me to believe he’s in the middle of a hot streak and not a breakout at 32 years old.

This is not to ignore or downplay his start, but to caution fans from expecting a different level of player than we have seen in the past. Trevino signed an extension prior to the season and is the obvious choice above Wynns on the depth chart.

A similar situation can be said for Wynns, who’s six-hit game against Baltimore over the weekend propelled him to a .455/.500/.727 slash line. However, there’s a bit more merit to believing in Wynns due to his impressvie showing across a tiny seven game sample last season.

Yes, the sample is small but Wynns put up a 91.5 mph average exit velocity last season and 94.6 mph this year. Considering how difficult it can be to find a back up catcher with offense, loud contact will catch eyes.

Let me be clear, both of these options are drastically out performing what their entire career has shown us. More likely than not both will slow down. But, for a team that has some struggles elsewhere on the roster, the idea of fitting Stephenson’s bat in the lineup in a unique way and riding these hot streaks is intriguing.

Where Can Tyler Stepheson Fit

I’d venture to say the most likely scenario would be Stephenson coming back and Austin Wynns, who is out of options, being DFA’d with hopes of him returning to Louisville to serve as the teams third catcher. However, the Reds have an option to be creative and work all three on the roster.

Although Stephenson has improved defensively, he still grades out as a below-average catcher. Having an excuse to keep him from going behind the plate might not be the worst idea, especially as he comes back from injury. Cincinnati could make him the DH and slowly work him in behind the only, or until Wynns’ hot streak slows down.

They could also shift Stepheson to first base where he has played 32 games across his career, mostly coming in the 2021 season. Of course playing Stephenson at first would move someone to the bench, and off the active roster.

With Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the IL, first base has been occupied by Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario, both of which have under .500 OPS. Candelario signed a three-year deal prior to last season and has been nothing but a disappointment. Due to his contact situation, I cannot see a scenario where he is moved off the roster in April of year two.

Spencer Steer is a different story. After missing time in spring training due to injury Steer was going to start the season on the IL, but surprisingly made the Opening Day roster.

All indications point to his shoulder injury being more serious than we are to believe. His bat speed, average exit velocity, and pretty much every other advanced metric is down compared to last season.

Healthy or not, Steer could use some time to get right. He’s looked like a different player and the Reds cannot continue to allocate at bats to someone who’s made such little impact. So, place Steer on the IL, activate Stephenson to play first/DH with Candelario, and see if the red hot catchers still have some magic left in them.

It is also worth noting that Steer still has all of his options, so if the shoulder isn’t an issue, they can send him down to Triple-A to get everyday at-bats for a while and bring him back when a need opens up on the roster, or when he starts hitting again.

If Wynns slows down, Stephenson can move back behind the plate and Wynns roster spot can be filled by Christian Encarnacion-Strand coming off the IL or a different player being promoted from the minors.

Final Thoughts

Carrying three catchers is not something you often see these days. Although this would qualify as three catchers, they would not be used as such. I still do not think this is the most likely path, but a higher percentage than I would have given it a week ago.

Not only do all three get a spot, but Steer has a chance to get right.

The likelihood of Wynns being a true value for the Reds all season is fairly low. The likelihood of the Reds needing Spencer Steer to get right is very high. If you keep a hot bat while pushing Steer to the IL, I can buy into the avenue.

Let’s not let all the roster gymnastics distract us from the fact that the Reds are about to add Tyler Stephenson back the lineup. A player who posted a .782 OPS and 112 wRC+ while hitting a career high 19 home runs last season. A piece this lineup needs to alleviate the struggles of Steer and Candelario and lengthen the depth in the lineup.