Reds sign reliever Hagen Danner to minor league contract with assignment to Louisville Bats.
The Cincinnati Reds were projected to be a competitive team in the National League Central this season after making the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2013.
Beginning the offseason with a need for bullpen depth after posting a 3.86 ERA that ranked 12th in the National League last season, the Reds have added a high-upside arm to their system.
Cincinnati signed Hagen Danner to a minor league contract on January 7, 2026, with an assignment to the Triple-A Louisville Bats.
The Reds finished third in the NL Central in 2025 with an 83-79 record and earned a Wild Card berth before losing to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but the team under first-year manager Terry Francona showed plenty of promise heading into 2026.
Hagen Danner's Power Arsenal
After making his MLB debut on August 11, 2023, with the Toronto Blue Jays against the Chicago Cubs, Danner has shown flashes of dominance throughout his professional career but has also dealt with injuries that have slowed his progress.
He retired only one batter in his debut before leaving with a left oblique strain that ended his season.
The 27-year-old right-hander brings impressive stuff to the organization with a fastball that sits in the 96-97 mph range and can touch 98-99 mph, making him a flame-throwing reliever with serious upside.
In 34 games with the Blue Jays organization in 2024, primarily with Triple-A Buffalo, he went 3-0 with seven saves and a 3.06 ERA while striking out 36 batters in 35.1 innings.
From Catcher to Power Reliever
The former second-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2017 MLB Draft out of Huntington Beach High School signed for $1.5 million and spent his first three professional seasons as a catcher before making the full-time switch to pitching in 2021.
In his first season solely as a pitcher, he went 2-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 25 games with High-A Vancouver and posted a 0.93 WHIP that ranked third among all High-A pitchers with at least 25 games.
He was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners in January 2025 but was designated for assignment in April and spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Tacoma before electing free agency in November 2025.
What He Could Become With the Reds
Looking at Danner's potential with Cincinnati, there's a clear path for him to contribute to the big league bullpen if he can stay healthy and command the strike zone consistently.
While the Reds have relievers anchoring the back end, adding a power arm like Danner on a minor league deal is a low-risk, high-reward move for a team that finished 14 games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers last season.
If he can put together a healthy season in Louisville and show improved command, Danner could find himself in Cincinnati sooner rather than later.
The Reds are banking on his upside outweighing his injury concerns, and with their need for bullpen depth, this signing makes sense as Danner gets an opportunity to prove himself with a playoff-caliber organization.
The Reds now turn their attention to Spring Training, where Danner will look to show that his best baseball is still ahead of him.