This week the Cincinnati Reds have had to make some roster moves, including releasing multiple players in the farm system now that the 2026 season is officially completed. They also lost a player to free agency. And all of that is on top of outfielder TJ Friedl electing free agency after he was outrighted to the minor leagues when he was designated for assignment and cleared waivers on September 22nd.
Let’s start with P.J. Higgins electing free agency. After not playing in the big leagues since 2022, Higgins got the call for Cincinnati twice in the 2026 season. The first time happened in April. His stay for for just under three weeks before he was sent back to Louisville. Three weeks later he was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A. He accepted that outright. Three days later he was added back to the 40-man roster and called up and this time he spent nearly a month on the roster before he was optioned, designated for assignment a few days later, and then outrighted and accepted his assignment in the minors.
He didn’t play much during his time with the Reds. He spent about a month and a half with the team overall but played in just 13 games and only had 26 at-bats. He went 6-26 with a double and two walks.
The 33-year-old catcher/utility corner infielder didn’t hit much better with the Bats in Triple-A in 2026 than he did with Cincinnati. He would play in 67 games and hit just .223/.313/.277 on the year. This was his third season in a row with the Bats and his OPS dropped each year, going from .706 in 2024 to .645 in 2025, and then down to .589 in 2026.
The Reds also released multiple low-level minor league pitchers this week, as well as a former top 25 prospect in the organization.
Victor Acosta, acquired at the 2022 trade deadline in a deal with the San Diego Padres for Brandon Drury, was released. The infielder was one of the Padres top international signings in 2021 and had a good professional debut that year as he put up a .915 OPS in the Dominican Summer League with the Padres club there. He moved up to the United States the next season and he just never was able to do much hitting once he got stateside. Acosta would wind up playing in 442 games in the minor leagues through the end of 2026 and hit .233/.349/.346.
Cincinnati also released four pitchers who had been in the Dominican Summer League with them. Malvin Garcia, Jefersson Marte, Jonathan Santana, and Luis Yepes were all let go this week.
The DFA and subsequent loss of Julian Aguiar is more puzzling to me.
There has to be something not publicly known in the Aguiar situation. Whether it be physical, attitude or something else.
I have always thought his push to throwing 97-98 did not serve him well. I recall hearing about his TJ after seeing him beginning to struggle vs big league hitters but only try to throw harder and harder. That was my impression anyway.
That one more just caught me stunned because we never saw that he was DFA’d and then it all just hit at once that not only was he DFA’d but that he was also claimed.
Two option years left, too, I think. Not to mention at least the possibility of upside.
Seems like they could have traded him if that was the agenda.
I didn’t even hear about that. Given our extreme lack of depth of pitching in the upper levels how are we so quick to give up on Aguiar who was a solid pitcher before his injury that he is only one year removed from. Insanity.
Yeah I don’t understand that either…..you can’t tell me he, CES, and reece hines didn’t have Trade Value that 3 really good prospects that performed at the ML level great at times and just needed some different coaches
Their trade value was minimal to non existent, but they were better players than we have now in AAA and had options.
I was surprised when Banfield was added to 40-man in June after I thought Higgins had done a pretty good job when he got an opportunity earlier.
I thought Highins did just fine, too. Some people thought Banfield might have had an opt out. With Stephenson leaving, i was thinking they wanted Banfield for 27-28 rather than Higgins.
I was thinking additionally to PJ Higgins electing free agency also Hampson, Wereski, Emanuel, Chavis, Leibrandt in Louisville Bats will do it…I don’t know if Ibarra and Allen II could be minor league free agents…
I expect the Reds will DFA’d Carson Spiers at some point but with the starting pitching depth shortage and after Aguiar is not with the Reds anymore maybe they will keep him for awhile…hope that wouldn’t be long…
I guess they saw that DFA CES worked out so well NOT, that would try the same thing with Aguiar.