And we’re off! … well, I mean, baseball. The Reds. The Reds and Tigers are off.
It’s the first trade of the offseason, with the Tigers looking to continue their progression toward competitiveness by picking up a quality catcher:
The #Reds have acquired minor league IF Nick Quintana from the Tigers in exchange for C Tucker Barnhart. pic.twitter.com/RDPFTBSjP5
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 3, 2021
Barnhart, 31 next season, came with a $7.5 million option for 2022, so this is one of those “trade him before you have to make the decision” deals. He’s a steady catcher – great defense, average-ish-for-a-catcher offense – and will be a nice addition for the Tigers in a part-time role, but the Reds had Tyler Stephenson ready to go, and that money can be better utilized elsewhere.
And the Reds pick up a prospect in the process. Quintana, who just turned 24, didn’t hit much at A-ball this year after being a 2019 second rounder. Before the season he was considered a top 20 prospect in a fairly deep Tigers system, but I expect the down 2021 season put a damper on the enthusiasm. Still, he’s a real prospect, acquired for a guy the Reds were clearly not going to retain. So it’s still probably a decent move for the Reds.
For more on the offseason dates and deadlines – which included mention of these types of trades! – see the earlier post.