The Cincinnati Reds' strategy at the 2026 trade deadline was puzzling. There is no way around it. Possibly the most surprising decision of them all was to keep catcher Tyler Stephenson, despite him being a free agent after the season.

Now the Reds risk losing him for nothing.

When Will Alfredo Duno be Ready?

Minor league catcher Alfredo Duno is the organization's top prospect. Could he be a solution?

Earlier this offseason, Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall spoke to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon about Duno and when he might be ready.

“First, I think Duno needs to be a Minor League player," Krall told Sheldon. "He’s a great kid. He’s made great strides. But he has a lot of work to do, and as a 20-year-old in Double-A, he needs to continue to develop. We need to make sure we’re not confusing him and rushing him to the big leagues to the detriment of his development."

"We need to make sure he’s developing in the Minor Leagues and let him continue to develop, so that way when he gets here, he can be a good Major League player.”

With those comments, Krall is essentially eliminating Duno as an option to be Cincinnati's opening day catcher, which shouldn't be a surprise. While Duno's bat is ahead of schedule, his defense is still a work in progress.

The Reds have three options: re-sign Tyler Stephenson, sign another catcher in free agency, or turn to Jose Trevino as their starter in 2027. For a team that struggled to score runs in 2026, counting on Trevino as the full-time answer would be a tough sell.

Duno Playing Winter Ball

Duno is playing winter ball in the Venezuelan Winter League for Leones del Caracas. In five games, the 20-year-old has slashed .158/.238/.211 with one extra-base hit. In the field, he has two assists and has yet to make an error.

Duno made 11 errors in 79 games at catcher between High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga in the regular season.

Despite struggling at times defensively, scouts believe he can stick at catcher.

"More athletic than you might think when looking at his strong 6-foot-2 frame, Duno should be able to stick behind the plate, especially if he manages his body well so he can remain agile, and the Reds were happy with his offseason work in this regard," Baseball Savant wrote. "Combine that with his plus arm strength, hard work in all aspects of his game, including learning English, and he has the makings of a big league starting backstop."

Duno's development will be very important for the Reds.