Reds Avoid Arbitration With Oswaldo Cabrera

The Reds announced that they have agreed to a one-year, Major League contract with utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera.  The signing allows the two sides to avoid salary arbitration, and MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports that Cabrera will earn $1MM in guaranteed salary plus up to $200K in bonuses related to plate appearances.

There was some thought that Cabrera could be a non-tender candidate given his lack of career production at the big league level.  However, the Reds only added Cabrera to the organization on a waiver claim on September 18, so Cincinnati might’ve always had an eye towards retaining the 27-year-old heading into the offseason.  Cabrera’s modest salary is an easy fit even in the Reds’ limited budget, and the team now has some experienced depth in place.

As a rookie with the Yankees in 2022, Cabrera hit .247/.312/.429 in his first 171 plate appearances as a big leaguer, good for a 110 wRC+.  This remains the high point of his offensive production, as Cabrera has since batted .230/.289/.326 over 803 PA with New York and Cincinnati.  Working as a part-time bench piece in the Bronx, Cabrera’s career was interrupted in May 2025 by an ugly ankle injury that required a season-ending surgery.  He made it back for the start of the 2026 minor league season and hit .288/.345/.444 over 524 PA for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and Cabrera also made it into seven total MLB games with the Yankees and Reds.

Moreso than his switch-hitting bat, Cabrera’s real calling card is his defensive versatility.  He has seen time at every position except catcher, with the majority of his playing time coming at third base and in the corner outfield positions.  The Reds have no set answer at any of these three positions, so Cabrera projects as at least a platoon bat with Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base, or as part of the outfield mix.  If the Reds add some more everyday-type players to fill these holes, Cabrera will be a super-utility piece who can fill in all over the diamond.