MLB 2026 News & Discussion

[WildcatFan]

I thought Trevino would be that guy, but his D has really slipped from his peak.

Has it? He's never been a big caught stealing guy, but he's still pretty solid back there. I don't see any way he's not still the placeholder for Duno.

[kaldaniels]

https://x.com/aarongleeman/status/20...gxwYJ5KNUDGyPw

The Athletic “forces” its Twins beat writer out. I opined last week something could be up with C Trent’s job security as he suddenly waltzed back to Twitter/X. Something to monitor.

[LiferJim]

Has it? He's never been a big caught stealing guy, but he's still pretty solid back there. I don't see any way he's not still the placeholder for Duno.

I don’t know about his other defensive skills, but the fact he can’t throw anyone out and hits like a pitcher maybe means the Reds could do better. I also realize good catchers don’t grow on trees


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[CaiGuy]

Has it? He's never been a big caught stealing guy, but he's still pretty solid back there. I don't see any way he's not still the placeholder for Duno.

Yeah, if you like Statcast, Trevino was at his peak, the best pitch framer and the best at blocking in the league. He was a hair below average at throwing out runners.

Now he is perhaps a hair above average at framing, a hair below average at blocking, and terrible at throwing our runners. Maybe that's solid, as you say, considering he is a backup catcher, but he was an elite defender in his prime, but now he is basically average behind the plate and Hayes'esque at the plate.

Duno is at A+, so he shouldn't factor into any MLB planning. He is lightyears away in catchers' years, even if he is the real deal.

[mth123]

Yeah, if you like Statcast, Trevino was at his peak, the best pitch framer and the best at blocking in the league. He was a hair below average at throwing out runners.

Now he is perhaps a hair above average at framing, a hair below average at blocking, and terrible at throwing our runners. Maybe that's solid, as you say, considering he is a backup catcher, but he was an elite defender in his prime, but now he is basically average behind the plate and Hayes'esque at the plate.

Duno is at A+, so he shouldn't factor into any MLB planning. He is lightyears away in catchers' years, even if he is the real deal.

When we start listing out Krall's mis-steps, Trevino is on the list. Acquiring him for a scatter armed reliever to be the back-up Catcher wasn't a bad move. Signing him to a two-year extension at over $5 Million per year was a mistake IMO. Unfortunately, that makes him one of the Reds more highly paid position players and the things he's good at can be found for pretty cheap in AAA. It's not a major mis-step like signing Montas or Candy for big money or trading for Hayes, but a lot of these lesser mis-steps add up to the mediocrity that we have now.

[TRF]

2026 MLB Catcher Depth & Backup Contracts

Team	Starting Catcher	Backup Catcher	2026 Salary	Contract Status
ARI	Gabriel Moreno	James McCann	$2.75M	1 year (thru 2026)
ATL	Sean Murphy	Drake Baldwin	$780K	Pre-Arb
BAL	Adley Rutschman	Samuel Basallo	$6.00M	8 years (thru 2033)
BOS	Connor Wong	Carlos Narvaez	$780K	Pre-Arb
CHC	Carson Kelly	Miguel Amaya	$780K	Pre-Arb
CWS	Korey Lee	Chuckie Robinson	$780K	Pre-Arb
CIN	Tyler Stephenson	Jose Trevino	$5.25M	3 years (thru 2028)
CLE	Austin Hedges	Bo Naylor	$780K	Pre-Arb
COL	Hunter Goodman	Stallings/Romano	$780K	Pre-Arb
DET	Jake Rogers	Dillon Dingler	$780K	Pre-Arb
HOU	Yainer Diaz	Christian Vazquez	$1.00M	1 year (thru 2026)
KC	Salvador Perez	Elias Diaz	$1.72M	1 year (thru 2026)
LAA	Logan O'Hoppe	Travis d'Arnaud	$6.00M	2 years (thru 2027)
LAD	Will Smith	Dalton Rushing	$780K	Pre-Arb
MIA	Joe Mack	Ali Sanchez	$780K	Pre-Arb
MIL	William Contreras	Gary Sánchez	$1.75M	1 year (thru 2026)
MIN	Ryan Jeffers	Victor Caratini	$4.00M	2 years (thru 2027)
NYM	Francisco Alvarez	Luis Torrens	$5.75M	2 years (thru 2028)
NYY	Austin Wells	J.C. Escarra	$810K	Pre-Arb
ATH	Shea Langeliers	Jonah Heim	$1.25M	1 year (thru 2026)
PHI	J.T. Realmuto	Garrett Stubbs	$975K	1 year (thru 2026)
PIT	Joey Bart	Henry Davis	$780K	Pre-Arb
SD	Freddy Fermin	Luis Campusano	$900K	1 year (thru 2026)
SF	Patrick Bailey	Eric Haase	$780K	Pre-Arb
SEA	Cal Raleigh	Mitch Garver	$2.25M	1 year (thru 2026)
STL	Willson Contreras	Pedro Pagés	$780K	Pre-Arb
TB	Nick Fortes	Hunter Feduccia	$780K	Pre-Arb
TEX	Danny Jansen	Kyle Higashioka	$6.75M	2 years (thru 2027)
TOR	Alejandro Kirk	Tyler Heineman	$1.23M	1 year (thru 2026)
WSH	Keibert Ruiz	Riley Adams	$1.00M	1 year (thru 2026)

[Sea Ray]

What is it with Krall where he spends handsomely for backups (Hayes, Trevino)

[TRF]

I think the backup question is an interesting discussion. Gemini generated this list, so I am unsure how accurate it is. But if it is accurate... Baltimore is spending a lot of money on catchers. I feel like some of this list has to be wrong. stoopid gemini.

Team	Starting Catcher	2026 Contract Info	Backup Catcher	2026 Salary	Backup Contract Terms
BAL	Adley Rutschman	$7.25M (1 yr / Arb)	Samuel Basallo	$6.0M	8 yrs / $67M (Ext)
BOS	Carlos Narvaez	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Connor Wong	$4.2M	1 yr / $4.2M (Arb)
NYY	Austin Wells	$780k (Pre-Arb)	JC Escarra	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
TB	Nick Fortes	$3.2M (Arb)	Hunter Feduccia	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
TOR	Alejandro Kirk	$13.5M (5 yrs / $58M)	Brandon Valenzuela	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
CHW	Kyle Teel	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Drew Romo	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
CLE	Patrick Bailey	$3.1M (Arb)	Austin Hedges	$4.0M	1 yr / $4.0M
DET	Dillon Dingler	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Jake Rogers	$3.5M	1 yr / $3.5M
KC	Carter Jensen	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Salvador Perez	$6.5M	2 yrs / $25M
MIN	Ryan Jeffers	$6.7M (1 yr / Arb)	Victor Caratini	$6.0M	2 yrs / $12M
HOU	Yainer Diaz	$4.2M (Arb)	Christian Vazquez	$5.5M	1 yr / $5.5M
LAA	Logan O'Hoppe	$3.8M (Arb)	Travis d'Arnaud	$6.0M	2 yrs / $12M
OAK	Shea Langeliers	$5.25M (Arb)	Jonah Heim	$5.2M	1 yr / $5.2M (Arb)
SEA	Cal Raleigh	$11.0M (6 yrs / $105M)	Mitch Garver	$12.5M	2 yrs / $24M
TEX	Danny Jansen	$7.5M (2 yrs / $15M)	Kyle Higashioka	$6.75M	2 yrs / $13.5M
ATL	Sean Murphy	$15.0M (6 yrs / $73M)	Drake Baldwin	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
MIA	Joe Mack	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Liranzo Hicks	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
NYM	Francisco Alvarez	$4.4M (Arb)	Luis Torrens	$2.3M	Signed thru 2028 ($11.5M total)
PHI	J.T. Realmuto	$15.0M (3 yrs / $45M)	Rafael Marchan	$950k	1 yr / $950k
WAS	Keibert Ruiz	$6.0M (8 yrs / $50M)	Drew Millas	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
CHC	Carson Kelly	$4.5M (1 yr)	Miguel Amaya	$1.2M	1 yr / $1.2M
CIN	Tyler Stephenson	$4.7M (1 yr / Arb)	Jose Trevino	$5.25M	2 yr / $11.5M (thru '27)
MIL	William Contreras	$7.5M (Arb)	Gary Sanchez	$4.0M	1 yr / $4.0M
PIT	Joey Bart	$3.8M (Arb)	Henry Davis	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
STL	Pedro Pages	$820k (Pre-Arb)	Ivan Herrera	$820k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
ARI	Gabriel Moreno	$5.5M (Arb)	James McCann	$1.5M	1 yr / $1.5M
COL	Hunter Goodman	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Billy Sullivan	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
LAD	Will Smith	$8.0M (10 yrs / $140M)	Dalton Rushing	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb
SD	Freddy Fermin	$1.5M (Arb)	Luis Campusano	$2.4M	1 yr / $2.4M (Arb)
SF	Daniel Susac	$780k (Pre-Arb)	Jesus Rodriguez	$780k	1 yr / Pre-Arb

[mth123]

Basallo is an outlier. He's the back-up Catcher, but he's also the primary DH who hits 5th in the order and the Catcher of the future who was signed to his deal as a minor leaguer.

Garver only makes $1 Million this year. Guys like D-Arnaud and Perez are former starters still on earlier contracts from when they were more than back-ups. Trevino was acquired to be a back-up and paid that money after he was acquired.

[TRF]

I'm not offering an opinion on his salary, just providing data for context is all.

I think the Reds will part ways with Stephenson. I think next year it is Trevino/AAA catcher with Duno in AA. If he's hitting and the defense is there he's the guy in 2028.

Stephenson looks like a Marlins catcher.

[mth123]

I'm not offering an opinion on his salary, just providing data for context is all.

I think the Reds will part ways with Stephenson. I think next year it is Trevino/AAA catcher with Duno in AA. If he's hitting and the defense is there he's the guy in 2028.

Stephenson looks like a Marlins catcher.

The only thing worse than paying Trevino $5 Million+ to be the back-up Catcher is paying him $5 Million+ to be the starting Catcher. The $5 Million just helps prevent the Reds from going out and getting a real starter at the position.

[TRF]

His contract is up at the end of 2027 I believe. That makes it $5M to hold the fort and train his successor. Duno could be a mid season callup in 2027. I'm not counting on it, but he could be.

$5M is not even a dent in the payroll. That's picking nits. I get the loathing of what the Reds are paying Hays, but this is less than that. Considering Stephenson's replacement is likely a league minimum guy to maybe $1M? So inconsequential. It isn't hamstringing them at all. It did not stop them from giving Pagan $10M. It didn't prevent them from getting Johnson or Burke or Ferguson. Singer is off the books after this year and his replacement is probably in the system right now. Suarez is off the books after this year too. I'm sure he'll be somewhere, but unlikely a Red. They are probably shedding 27-35M in contracts with far less than that money returning as raises. The players are likely replaced in house. Petty/Williamson/Acuna for Singer. FA for Suarez, probably for less than the $15M he got. Pagan is probably gone after this season, but if not he's back on a lot smaller contract and a reduced role.

$5M is not hamstringing this team in 2027. It's just a little vet leadership on what is becoming a younger team.

[mth123]

His contract is up at the end of 2027 I believe. That makes it $5M to hold the fort and train his successor. Duno could be a mid season callup in 2027. I'm not counting on it, but he could be.

$5M is not even a dent in the payroll. That's picking nits. I get the loathing of what the Reds are paying Hays, but this is less than that. Considering Stephenson's replacement is likely a league minimum guy to maybe $1M? So inconsequential. It isn't hamstringing them at all. It did not stop them from giving Pagan $10M. It didn't prevent them from getting Johnson or Burke or Ferguson. Singer is off the books after this year and his replacement is probably in the system right now. Suarez is off the books after this year too. I'm sure he'll be somewhere, but unlikely a Red. They are probably shedding 27-35M in contracts with far less than that money returning as raises. The players are likely replaced in house. Petty/Williamson/Acuna for Singer. FA for Suarez, probably for less than the $15M he got. Pagan is probably gone after this season, but if not he's back on a lot smaller contract and a reduced role.

$5M is not hamstringing this team in 2027. It's just a little vet leadership on what is becoming a younger team.

He had a 66 wRC+ in 2025. This year, it's -17. He's not a viable starter. If they had his money and Stephenson's money, that could have a more reasonable roster with a good player to start for around $10 Million and cheap back-up. With almost half of that tied up in Trevino, Catcher is certain to be a blackhole again. Add that to the blackhole at 3B and the unknown number of black holes in the OF and there is no way this team can win.

At some point, they need to stop writing-off line-up spots. Giving $5 Million+ to Trevino is doing just that.

If they do something like Trade Lodolo for a good young starting Catcher, then having Trevino around as a mentor/back-up would be OK, but it's not worth $5 Million.

[Boss-Hog]

Pagan is probably gone after this season, but if not he's back on a lot smaller contract and a reduced role.

$5M is not hamstringing this team in 2027. It's just a little vet leadership on what is becoming a younger team.

Pagan has an opt-out clause after this season, but given that he's going to be out a month or two and was already not off to a good start, I think it's very likely he's back in 2027 for the second year of his contract, which is the same $10 million as this year, so no difference in salary or likely role for that money.

[Redsfan6272]

I ask about Hunter Goodman and see if they would deal him.. untill Duno is ready