Later today, the Cincinnati Reds will play their final game in Arizona before heading back to Ohio. They’re scheduled to make a stop in Dayton on Tuesday for an exhibition game to close out their spring slate, ahead of Opening Day on Thursday at Great American Ball Park. As camp winds down in Arizona, the Reds announced two more roster moves, optioning catcher Will Banfield and left-handed pitcher Wade Miley to minor league camp.
Miley’s reassignment comes as no surprise. The veteran lefty is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, hasn’t appeared in any spring games, and just threw his first live batting practice session last week. He was never expected to be ready for Opening Day. If his recovery stays on track, he could rejoin the team by May. Miley is in camp on a minor league deal.
Banfield’s move, however, raises a few more eyebrows. With Tyler Stephenson sidelined due to injury, the Reds are in need of a backup catcher behind Jose Trevino. Internally, the competition seemed to be between Banfield and Austin Wynns—unless the team looks outside the organization as other clubs make roster cuts and players hit waivers in the coming days.
Banfield flashed some power this spring, as all of his hits went for extra bases. However, he struggled at the plate overall, going just 3-for-20 with 11 strikeouts, batting .150 with a .217 on-base percentage. The 25-year-old has yet to make his major league debut and has only one season of Triple-A experience, where he posted an on-base percentage below .300 and a slugging percentage under .380. Like Miley, Banfield is on a minor league contract this season.
The Reds’ camp roster now sits at 34 players. However, that figure includes several injured players: Andrew Abbott, Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Rhett Lowder, and Brandon Williamson. As a result, there are still some roster decisions to be made before Opening Day, though not as many as the remaining headcount might suggest.
