Reds: Almost $13M committed to three catchers for 2026?

As of now, the Reds are going to have around $13.1M committed to three catchers for 2026:

Jose Trevino $5.25M

Tyler Stephenson approximately $6.65M (headed to arbitration)

Ben Rortvedt $1.2M

That seems at least a little odd to be spending over $5M on two different catchers, and devoting over 11% of their projected $115M payroll to the catching position.

Stephenson is asking for $6.8M in arbitration, while the Reds are offering $6.55M. It also seems curious the Reds and Stephenson would go to an arbitration battle over $250K. Stephenson is entering his final season before free agency.

Could the Reds trade Stephenson to free up money to put towards a bat at another position?

Let me take the rob Peter to pay Paul concept one step further. Could the Reds deal, maybe package Brady Singer and his $12.7M salary this season, for a bat? That would free up around $19.4M.

More on the catching position...........

The Reds got middle of the road offensive production from the catching position in 2025.
14th Batting average .244
15th On-base .301
15th Slugging .391
15th On-base + slugging .689
20th WAR -0.6
With 34 2B (4th), 16 HR (17th) and 72 RBI (16th)

With a push towards more defense, and Stephenson clearly the lesser of the three from a defensive standpoint, could the Reds survive with Trevino and Rortvedt as their catching tandem?

That would all but concede offense at third base and at catcher, in order to lean into defense.

Stephenson: The 29-year old saw a production drop across the board last season, hitting .231-.316-.421-.737 in 88 games. He didn’t make his season debut until game 33, after suffering an oblique injury late in spring training. He missed time with a fractured thumb in August. The Reds were 36-29 with him behind the plate. He threw out 21% of base stealers. He was 50th among catchers in Pitch Framing Runs (-8). He’s a free agent after 2026.

Trevino signed a three-year, $14.93M extension last March. The 33-year old right handed bat hit .238-.272-.351-.623 in 93 games last season. His 39 strikeouts were tied for 4th-fewest among all hitters with 250+ at-bats. The Reds were 41-43 with him behind the plate. He did not appear in the Wild Cards series. He threw out 23% of base stealers. He was T-14th among catchers in Pitch Framing Runs (+2).

Rortvedt: Claimed off waivers from the Dodgers this offseason, he’s on a one-year, $1.2M deal. He is also out of options, meaning, if the Reds send him to the minors, he could be claimed by another team. The 28-year old is a defense first catcher. He has a career batting average of .190 in 633 plate appearances, over parts of four MLB seasons, with four MLB teams. He threw out 23.5% of base stealers last season.