Why Reds Should Re-Sign Tyler Stephenson

Tyler Stephenson should be on the Cincinnati Reds' radar this offseason with the catcher set to hit free agency after his one-year, $6.8 million deal with the franchise expired.

Despite a rough start to the year, Stephenson bounced back nicely in the second half to finish the season batting .241 while also recording a .727 OPS and knocking in 54 RBI.

Stephenson garnered a lot of interest at the Aug. 3 trade deadline but he stayed with Cincinnati who refused to budge on an overly high asking price that ended up being mocked by other executives in the league.

While it was not totally unreasonable to want value back for someone like Stephenson who plays a valuable position, he wasn't a world beater at the time and is now 30 years old.

With that, the Reds could end up losing him for nothing and watching him have a breakout season with another club if president of baseball operations Nick Krall doesn't get on the phone soon.

Stephenson ended the season on a high note, scoring a run last Saturday during the Reds' matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays while launching his lone home run of September against the division rival Milwaukee Brewers to help Cincinnati secure a 5-3 win.

Besides his offense, Stephenson brings a keen eye behind the plate, winning 93 of the 136 ABS challenges he initiated this season that have helped the team escape from various jams.

Keeping a catcher like Stephenson should be a no-brainer for Cincinnati because not only has he shown an ability to hit but also defend with his 12 blocked pitches above average.

Furthermore, he could be a sought-after trade piece once again especially if Cincinnati has another rough year and needs the assets to kickstart a rebuild.

The Reds may have to lower their expectations though due to Stephenson's age unless his numbers take a notable step forward and a contender like the New York Yankees are only a catcher away from winning it all.

Cincinnati should also consider the possibility of holding onto Stephenson for the long run if the club ends up having a resurgence.

Also, his veteran presence could help mentor some of the Reds' younger players such as Rookie of the Year candidate Sal Stewart.

For now, the Reds will have to wait and see what Stephenson and his camp have in mind before getting negotiations started.