Cincinnati Reds, Austin Hays Agree To One-Year Deal

Earlier this offseason, I wrote about the additions the Cincinnati Reds could make with their newfound TV money. One of the possible signings I highlighted was a right-handed bat to platoon in the outfield with Jake Fraley.

I chose Randal Grichuk.

On Tuesday, the Reds went with a cheaper option in Austin Hays.

Hays signed a one-year deal with the Reds for $5 million. With incentives, that number can escalate to $6 million.

The more I think about it, the more I think Hays, at that price, was a better option.

Hays had a very forgettable 2024 season that saw him appear in just 85 games for the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, posting a 98 wRC+. The power was quite diminished, as he only had five home runs across those 85 games.

But, let’s not forget that in 2023, Hays was an All-Star in Baltimore.

While the first half of his 2023 season was much better than the second half (an .853 OPS vs a .667 OPS), the Reds did not sign the 29-year-old to be an everyday All-Star. They signed him to be a complement to Fraley and mash lefties.

He can do just that.

In his career, Hays is an .800 OPS and 120 wRC+ guy against lefties. Couple that with Fraley’s .786 OPS and 113 wRC+ against righties, and the Reds have themselves a good platoon in right field.

Hays doesn’t walk and strikes out at a relatively high rate (23.1% in 2024), but he has traditionally been a sound defender in a corner with a strong arm. When adding that to his ability to hit lefties, you can see why the Reds saw his $5 million price tag and decided he’d be a solid addition to this team.

If everything goes right, Hays could be more than a platoon guy if needed. With a career .719 OPS against righties, Hays could potentially find himself in an everyday role considering Fraley’s injury history.

Like I said earlier, Austin Hays doesn’t need to be an All-Star-caliber player, but simply the other half of a Hays-Fraley platoon. He should be a meaningful upgrade over Will Benson and the consistent at-bats he received in 2024.

We knew the Reds were not going to spend a ton the rest of this offseason, even after the new TV deal. And while this is maybe a little bit less of an addition than some were hoping for, Hays is still a big improvement to this team, and fans will get plenty of chances to see why in 2025.