On Monday, the Cincinnati Reds finalized a trade, sending first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash.
The 26-year-old Encarnacion-Strand was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round from Oklahoma State in 2021. He made his MLB debut with Cincinnati in 2023, joining a notable contingent of Reds prospects alongside talents like Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain.
However, Encarnacion-Strand, whose career has been hampered by injuries and struggles with consistency at first base, was designated for assignment last week, having begun the current season in the minor leagues. There’s a chance he could contribute power to the revamped Orioles roster, which features Pete Alonso at first base.
During the 2023 season, Encarnacion-Strand concluded with 13 homers and 37 runs batted in. He collected 60 hits across 222 at-bats and notched his first two career stolen bases. Over the last two seasons, though, his home run total has only reached eight. Furthermore, last season, when the Reds made it to the National League playoffs, he appeared in only 36 contests.