The Reds have designated catcher Austin Wynns for assignment, the team announced Friday. His spot on the roster will go to first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who is being reinstated from the injured list.
Wynns, 34, has hit brilliantly in limited time with Cincinnati, slashing .390/.429/.661 in 63 plate appearances dating back to last season. That includes a .400/.442/.700 line in 43 plate appearances in 2025. That outrageous output is propped up by a .513 average on balls in play, however, and it belies a career slash line of .241/.287/.354 for the journeyman Wynns.
Because Wynns is out of options, the Reds couldn’t simply send him to the minors. He’d first need to pass through waivers, which may well be where he’s headed now that he’s been designated for assignment. He’s a career .274/.363/.401 hitter in parts of seven Triple-A seasons — solid Triple-A production for any catcher, particularly a third one on a team’s depth chart.
Third catcher has indeed been Wynns’ role since Tyler Stephenson returned from an oblique strain. Stephenson and Jose Trevino have logged nearly all the time at catcher since Stephenson made his season debut. Wynns hasn’t logged a single plate appearance in June and tallied only seven trips to the plate in May, despite being healthy and on the active roster that entire time.
The Reds will have five days to trade Wynns before he has to be placed on outright waivers, though they could start the waiver process (which takes 48 hours) at any point between now and then. If Wynns does pass through waivers unclaimed — which he’s done eight prior times in his career — he’ll have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency.
Encarnacion-Strand, 25, has been out since mid-April with a back injury. The Reds acquired him alongside Spencer Steer three years ago in the trade that sent Tyler Mahle to Minnesota. At the time, Encarnacion-Strand’s stock was on the rise. The former fourth-round pick was ripping through Triple-A pitching and looked poised to make the jump to the big leagues. He did just that in 2023 and hit well as a rookie: .270/.327/.477, 13 homers in 241 plate appearances.
Since that time, wrist and back injuries have tanked Encarnacion-Strand’s output at the plate. He’s never been one to take many walks and has always been too much of a free swinger, and both of those flaws have been magnified as his power has dissipated amid health troubles. Over the past two seasons, “CES” has only 183 plate appearances in the majors, during which he’s batted .179/.208/.295.
In the absence of Encarnacion-Strand, Steer has been playing first base regularly. It’s possible the Reds will slide the versatile Steer across the diamond to make room for Encarnacion-Strand at first base. Neither player is a good defender at the hot corner, however, and Santiago Espinal is also in the mix at third base. The Reds could begin to move Steer all over the diamond again, as they’ve done in the past, if the goal is everyday at-bats for Encarnacion-Strand at first base. If not, Encarnacion-Strand could slide into a more limited role as a righty-swinging power bat off the bench.
1st time in mlb history a guy batting .400 is dfa?
I recall another player who was batting .400+ got DF’A and we all commented on that too.
Seems like you’d keep Wynn, at least until the babip Gods call him home.
Maldanado replacement .
This would be cool. He is from San Diego.
I hope the Rockies claim him and bring him back while sending Jacob Stallings packing. I’ll take Wynns even if he can only hit his weight. Stallings cannot even hit his wife’s weight.
Amazing slash line and still DFA’d. Wow.
“Amazing slash line”…Clearly, the Reds are not believers of good stats in small sample sizes. It also seems like the Reds don’t really need or value another catcher.
Getting DFA’d could end up benefiting Wynns if he finds a team with more catcher playing time available. Some teams might have kept him just because of good counting stats.
I’d be shocked if the Pirates don’t take him. Rockies are set at catcher, which is their only above average position right now.
Well so much for being set at catcher. The Rockies released Jacob Stallings so won’t be shocked if it was to clear room for Austin Wynns.
They couldn’t carry three catchers forever and he has barely come out of the dugout for a month.
Yeah I’d be stoked if he came back on a minors deal though.
He will be traded for quite quickly and if not will be claimed on waivers. To good a catcher to be available for long.
I love what he did in his short time here. But baseball cards rarely lie. While not likely I hope he ends up back at triple A with the Reds. Great depth piece and well liked in clubhouse.
padres ? please , Bye Maldonado.
Hey, let’s trade a .400 hitter for a .170 hitter, sounds like a great way to run a team. Strand plays like a cardboard cutout of Tony Perez.
The Reds are becoming the worst ran franchise in the league. Mediocrity is the goal and has been for a decade. Only the Reds would sit a guy for a month yet have him on the active
roster so your manager is essentially short a player. Thats Nick Kralls famous move.