Tyler Stephenson's Hot Bat Could Make Him a Top MLB Trade Deadline Target

Cincinnati catcher Tyler Stephenson is smoking hot at the plate, and it’s coming at the perfect time for the Reds. He is up to eight home runs this season after hitting two in the rubber game of Cincinnati’s three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Stephenson is hitting .247 this season with 27 RBIs and a .720 OPS. Over his last five games, Stephenson is batting .412 with three RBIs. Since the start of June, he is hitting .320 with 10 RBIs and a .866 OPS. The Georgia native is on pace to have the best season of his career.

The Athletic recently reported that Cincinnati is open for business ahead of the trade deadline and will prioritize moving players with expiring contracts. Stephenson is one of those players. Which teams would be the best fit?

J.T. Realmuto is hitting .214 this season with seven home runs and a .644 OPS. He has played in 71 games at age 35, and it might be wise for the Phillies to add a better bat to their lineup.

The Phillies have a 17-year-old outfield prospect, Francisco Renteria, who is currently the organization's No. 3 prospect. It may be a steep price for half a season of Stephenson, but perhaps they would be willing to part with a player who is still years away from helping the major league club.

Cincinnati could also buy low on Gabriel Rincones Jr., who is hitting .215 this season after batting .167 in 23 games with the major league club. The power-hitting outfielder hit 18 home runs in the minor leagues last season.

Austin Wells has played in 68 games and is hitting .152 with six home runs. Ali Sanchez and J.C. Escarra have combined to appear in 52 games, with Sanchez leading the group with a .229 batting average. Stephenson would provide a significant offensive boost for New York, as well as an improvement in ABS challenge success, as he is 6.7 points ahead of Wells.

The Yankees have reportedly shown interest in trading outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones before the deadline. Both are hitting just above .230, and Dominguez is a former five-tool top prospect. Jones made his major league debut this season and is the Yankees' No. 6 prospect. Right-handed pitcher Ben Hess is also an intriguing prospect.

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Other potential suitors include the Los Angeles Dodgers, who recently placed Will Smith on the injured list but reportedly plan to move forward with Dalton Rushing and are not expected to pursue catching help. However, that could change.

The San Diego Padres have received solid production from Luis Campusano in his limited sample size because of injuries, but they could still look to add depth behind the plate.