Tyler Stephenson has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a thumb fracture. Will Banfield was selected from Triple-A and will occupy the 40-man roster spot vacated by Jake Fraley, who was designated for assignment and claimed by the Braves. Stephenson, 29, was the 11th overall pick in 2015 and has served as Cincinnati's primary catcher since 2021, often viewed as a bat-first backstop with occasional DH and first-base appearances. His career slash line stands at .267/.343/.427 (107 wRC+), but he has struggled in 2025, posting a .226/.313/.393 (90 wRC+) line in 288 plate appearances and a 34.4% strikeout rate.
The Reds announced today that catcher Tyler Stephenson has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a thumb fracture. In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of catcher Will Banfield from Triple-A. He'll take the 40-man roster spot of Jake Fraley, who was designated for assignment over the weekend and claimed off waivers by the Braves yesterday.
Stephenson, 29, was selected 11th overall by Cincinnati back in 2015 and has been the club's primary catcher since 2021. Long considered a bat-first option behind the plate, he's also seen occasional time at DH and first base over the years but entered the 2025 season with a solid .267/.343/.427 (107 wRC+) slash line for his career, including a 113 wRC+ during the 2024 campaign.
Unfortunately, he's struggled to produce at the plate this year and has ceded much of his playing time to Jose Trevino behind the dish. Stephenson gotten into 72 games this year, with a .226/.313/.393 (90 wRC+) line in 288 plate appearances. Most concerning is his massive 34.4% strikeout rate, which is eleven points north of his career mark of 23.4%.
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