Reds Option Encarnacion-Strand to Triple-A Louisville in Spring Cuts

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, once positioned as the long-term heir to Joey Votto at first base in Cincinnati, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville on March 9 as the Reds trimmed their Goodyear camp to 42 players. Right-hander Chase Petty was also optioned to Louisville, while catcher Michael Trautwein, a non-roster invitee, was reassigned to minor league camp.

The moves represent a significant step back for Encarnacion-Strand, who started at first base on Opening Day in each of the last two seasons. His 2023 rookie campaign showed genuine promise: a .270/.328/.477 line across 63 games. But he has not built on that foundation. A wrist fracture requiring surgery cut short his 2024 season, and a back injury sidelined him again in 2025, when he posted a .208/.234/.377 line in 137 plate appearances with six home runs before being optioned back to Triple-A in July. He did not appear at the major league level after July 8. His 2025 Triple-A numbers offered some encouragement, as he hit .246/.309/.492 with 11 home runs in 64 games, but a 25.1% strikeout rate remained a concern. This spring, the 26-year-old went 5-for-15 with two doubles across six Cactus League appearances.

The organizational landscape has also shifted sharply against him. Encarnacion-Strand enters Louisville blocked at first base by Eugenio Suárez, Sal Stewart, Spencer Steer, and possibly Nathaniel Lowe. The Reds acquired third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes from Pittsburgh, watched Stewart emerge as one of the game's premier infield prospects, and signed Suárez in free agency, effectively eliminating any clear path to the Opening Day roster for now.

Petty's road back to Louisville is similarly defined by unmet potential. The former first-round pick made his first three major league appearances in 2025 and was hit hard, allowing 14 runs in six innings. His Triple-A numbers were not much kinder: a 6.39 ERA across 112 2/3 innings. He was encouraging this spring, tossing four scoreless innings, but entered camp already considered a long shot for the Opening Day staff.

Trautwein's reassignment completes a wave of cuts that reduced the Cincinnati spring roster to 42 players remaining in major league camp.

The broader pitching picture in Cincinnati is complicated by Hunter Greene, who is likely to open the season on the injured list after experiencing elbow stiffness. Manager Terry Francona has announced that Andrew Abbott will make his first career Opening Day start in Greene's absence, with Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo filling out the middle of the rotation. Both Encarnacion-Strand and Petty head to Louisville with the understanding that their paths back depend not just on performance but on a suddenly crowded organizational depth chart.