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Reds Sign Austin Romine, Alan Busenitz To Minor League Deals

By Anthony Franco | December 27, 2022 at 4:05pm CDT

The Reds announced this afternoon they’ve brought in catcher Austin Romine and reliever Alan Busenitz on minor league contracts. Both players will be in major league camp as non-roster invitees.

Romine, 34, returns to Cincinnati, where he spent the stretch run in 2022. Acquired in a deadline day trade with the Cardinals, the veteran played out the year in a depth role. He suited up 37 times for the Reds, hitting .147/.173/.263 across 99 trips to the plate. Cincinnati was one of three teams for Romine in 2022, as he also spent brief time with the Angels and St. Louis.

Between the trio of teams, the righty-hitting backstop posted a .155/.187/.248 line through 136 plate appearances. That was his most robust MLB workload since 2019, though he’s now appeared in the majors in 11 of the past 12 seasons overall. A longtime backup with the Yankees, Romine has played for five clubs since reaching free agency in advance of the 2020 season. He’s a .230/.268/.348 hitter in over 1400 career plate appearances.

Romine brings plenty of experience and some familiarity with the pitching staff to Reds camp. Cincinnati has already signed Curt Casali and Luke Maile to MLB deals this winter, bringing in a pair of depth options behind highly-regarded young backstop Tyler Stephenson. Barring injury, it’s hard to envision Romine cracking the Opening Day roster. He’s likely to start the season at Triple-A Louisville and remain on hand if the organization needs to call upon a veteran depth option.

Busenitz, 32, came out of the Twins bullpen 51 times between 2017-18. He worked to a 4.58 ERA through 57 innings. After the second campaign, Minnesota granted him his release to sign with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

The right-hander has spent the past four seasons in Japan, where he carved out a career as a solid late-game option. Busenitz pitched to a 2.83 ERA through 155 2/3 NPB innings. His 18.8% strikeout percentage was fairly modest, though his 8.6% walk rate is manageable. The Kennesaw State product returns stateside on the heels of a 2022 campaign that saw him toss 31 2/3 frames of 2.27 ERA ball with a 20% strikeout rate at Japan’s top level.

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Cincinnati Reds Transactions Alan Busenitz Austin Romine

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45 Comments

  1. 1975Reds

    3 years ago

    Romine is useless. A.190 hitter just won’t cut it.

    1
    Reply
    • RobM

      3 years ago

      Don’t be ridiculous. He’s a worthy successor to Johnny Bench.

      Depth move. Important at catcher. Need a depth option for AAA. Hopefully he’s not starting for the Reds!

      5
      Reply
      • cguy

        3 years ago

        Reds came in 29th last season in catching WAR at -0.8.
        Now they invoke their standard procedure to deal with an obvious deficiency-wait until late, then overcompensate.

        2
        Reply
        • rolandoroom

          3 years ago

          That stat is further illustrative of the Reds’ inability to acquire capable backups, when you consider the the positive WAR contribution from Tyler Stephenson (1.5 bref war) in his 166 plate appearances and 46 starts). Fun fact: the Reds were 22-24 in games started by Stephenson but 40-76 in games started by their scrub catchers.

          1
          Reply
    • MLB Top 100 Commenter

      3 years ago

      1975 Reds

      Romine said “lettuce alone”

      3
      Reply
      • junkyard

        3 years ago

        Oy, my head is salad spinning. Maybe he can get some “K”ales.

        Reply
  2. MLB Top 100 Commenter

    3 years ago

    Really liked the Casali signing. Romine as depth is not too impressive. I do not recall Busenitz. Not surprising, since I know my NL teams better.

    3
    Reply
  3. DonOsbourne

    3 years ago

    This guy here is dead.

    Cross him off then!

    1
    Reply
  4. Stone

    3 years ago

    Best signing of the offseason no question

    Reply
  5. Neon Cop

    3 years ago

    Do the Reds have ANY plan whatsoever?

    2
    Reply
    • losrojos

      3 years ago

      Clear the books after this year. Hope the young infielders coming up over the next 2-3 years pan out. Then make questionable free agent signings that handicap the team again and sell off all of the young talent when it’s unaffordable and they aren’t contending.

      2
      Reply
      • octavian8

        3 years ago

        It’s clear the plan is to load up on backup catchers on the cheap.

        1
        Reply
  6. This one belongs to the Reds

    3 years ago

    I don’t understand this. Casali and Maile to backup Stephenson was sufficient. It is almost as if they are determined not to be in the same position with inexperienced catching next year.

    I still think Stephenson will not be a catcher long term.

    Not familiar with the pitcher but any possible bullpen additions are welcome after the show of last season.

    Reply
    • losrojos

      3 years ago

      I think Casali gets about half the starts behind the plate this year and Stephenson splits the other half with Maile while also DH’ing and playing first to spell Votto. I agree Stephenson isn’t a catcher long term.

      1
      Reply
    • joeshmoe11

      3 years ago

      Don’t think too hard about these moves man. Catchers get injured and having guys in the minors who can fill in for a few days or weeks is valuable.

      2
      Reply
  7. champoronipizza

    3 years ago

    How many catchers do the reds need?

    1
    Reply
    • ksoze

      3 years ago

      7

      2
      Reply
    • joeshmoe11

      3 years ago

      Did you see how many guys they went through last season? Seven different dudes caught bc injuries and bad performances

      1
      Reply
    • miggywrld

      3 years ago

      Do you know how much time Tyler Stephenson spends on the IL?

      Reply
  8. thickiedon

    3 years ago

    Because the worst team in baseball needs a backup to the backup of the backup catcher

    Reply
    • This one belongs to the Reds

      3 years ago

      There are worse teams.

      Reply
      • FromTheCheapSeats

        3 years ago

        Not many

        1
        Reply
  9. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    3 years ago

    So the Reds are just going to eat $24M with Mustakas?
    No trade? What abway to run a business…..

    Reply
    • Joe It All

      3 years ago

      You can’t trade a contract that nobody wants to acquire when every other team knows they can just sign him for the minimum if they really want him because nobody is going to take on that contract. The Reds should be applauded for this move and not criticized. They could be cheap and pair Moustakas with a good prospect to get somebody else to take on that money but for once they’re doing the right thing and eating the money.

      3
      Reply
      • The Saber-toothed Superfife

        3 years ago

        Just eat 24M? Without trading him with prospects, because 24M is a lot of money…..
        Explains why fans are not.getting a fair shake anymore….
        So…they could have spent.that money all along….and didn’t.

        Reply
        • This one belongs to the Reds

          3 years ago

          The money is already spent whether he is on the roster or not. All contracts in baseball are guaranteed.

          I’m sure they explored all options before just cutting him loose. These baseball people have done this job before outside a rotisserie league, you know.

          1
          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          3 years ago

          Wasting 24 Million
          They are not.very good at it…..
          Any moron could.be able.to see that….

          Throw away 24M? And not.even worry about it?
          Monopoly
          Take.my money and cheat me….OK MLB….

          Reply
        • Joe It All

          3 years ago

          I see your passion with them wasting that amount of money but it’s all for the best to go about it how they are. They would be wasting that money by keeping him on the roster and having him take away at bats from a younger guy who factors into the future of when the Reds will be competitive. The money is already spent and that is a moot point. It is wasted money but it would be even more wasted by not getting rid of Moustakas and letting him take a valuable roster spot away from somebody that factors into the future of a team that is still another year or two away from competing.

          3
          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          3 years ago

          Thank you for your patience. I was thinking bottom line.
          But I guess that doesn’t matter. You’d think people would get fired for this.
          A prospect costs x$, offered with Moose, you save the bottom line ~24M – x$.
          Keeping the prospects costs 24M + x$.

          No one offered? They should.be fired too! Lol

          But I guess it doesn’t matter. Wow. All I can say is, wow.

          Reply
        • This one belongs to the Reds

          3 years ago

          How do you know that wasn’t done? Were you in the room?

          You know what happens when you assume.

          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          3 years ago

          Because, no deal was made.
          If an offer was made.and turned down, that means, prospects are undervalued in the draft, ifnthey pay x$ but won’t give on x+$? (Moose money)

          Reply
        • This one belongs to the Reds

          3 years ago

          Again, you are assuming there was a deal to be made. Obviously there wasn’t or it would have been done. A small market team will not eat that kind of bread unless they absolutely have to. It hamstrings them too much.

          Reply
    • joeshmoe11

      3 years ago

      These moves are made all the time. Trading him would mean eating a ton of money to get a nothing project OR attaching something of value to save some money. Not many takers for a guy in his position so you cut bait.

      2
      Reply
    • ekrog

      3 years ago

      You clearly know nothing about baseball in 2022.

      1
      Reply
      • The Saber-toothed Superfife

        3 years ago

        Clearly.

        Reply
    • rolandoroom

      3 years ago

      Sabertooth – have you watched Moose the last two years? Negative WAR both years, while getting paid $16 million/year. He’s the poster child for negative trade value. Better to cut their losses and use the 40-man spot for someone who might amount to something. 99% sure that Moose is done, and if I’m wrong, no team is going to give the Reds anything of value to test it out..

      Reply
      • The Saber-toothed Superfife

        3 years ago

        For the receiving team, it’s about getting a prospect, not Moose at 24Mil.
        For the Reds, it’s about saving 24Mil to the bottom line.

        I guess, I don’t understand how an Ivy League GM can maintain confidence from their employer, wasting 24Mil.

        Seems like, they don’t care, the suckers will pay anyways…….

        It’s sad. I think what they are doing is contributing to devaluing the dollar throughout the world. If a baseball player can get half a billion dollars, then it stand to reason, half a billion dollars must not really be that much.

        Reply
  10. sugoi51

    3 years ago

    Hang on Austin, hang on! Make them cut that jersey off of you.

    Reply
    • This one belongs to the Reds

      3 years ago

      I recall them saying how well he worked with the three young starters so I am wondering if this is more about the ones coming along to AAA, much like Corky Miller used to do for them.

      2
      Reply
  11. Lucky Strike

    3 years ago

    Nothing expires faster than a couple pieces of lettuce.

    Reply
  12. User 1855579867

    3 years ago

    Reds in the house!

    Reply
  13. Cleon Jones

    3 years ago

    Isnt Busenitz a brand of lighter?

    Reply
    • This one belongs to the Reds

      3 years ago

      Maybe not the best choice then with all the gasoline men in the bullpen they had last season….

      Reply
  14. BforBrad

    3 years ago

    Nothing wrong with this move. Someone has to catch guys at AAA and by all accounts, Romine is a good catcher to work with. Reds made the moves to hopefully keep him out of the majors.

    Reply
  15. TradeBait

    3 years ago

    This is window dressing to fill spots, although Busenitz may be able to help at some point.

    The sign that they have moved to doing baseball moves was letting Moose go and eating the contract. No takers on a deal that works for you – cut them loose. Addition by subtraction, somebody else gets the playing time that could and should be better.

    Just make sure you learn the lesson and quit chasing has-beens that take big money to sign.

    Reply

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