Every so often, we are reminded that professional sports is a revolving door ready to replace the under-performers. In the case of one-time Cincinnati Reds prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand, his struggles this season have sparked the question of what his future looks like, and if it even is with the Reds.
With Cincinnati now just 1 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot, they are looking to buy at the deadline. Seeing as Encarnacion-Strand is struggling but still has value due to his potential, we may see the formerly coveted Reds prospect get dealt for reinforcements.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Becoming Potential Trade Piece for Reds
Encarnacion-Strand’s Rookie Season
Encarnacion-Strand made his big league debut in 2023, where he played 63 games and posted an .805 OPS and 112 OPS+. He put up a well-rounded .270/.328/.477 slash line, plenty impressive for a 23-year-old corner infielder.
His metrics were excellent all around. While he struggled with some swing-and-miss issues and plate discipline, it’s typical for a potential power hitter of his caliber.
.346 xwOBA
.270 xBA
.476 xSLG
90.3 MPH Avg Exit Velo
10.5 Barrel%
48.4 Hard-Hit
36.5 Chase%
28.6 K%
5.8 BB%
It was still a fresh sight to see a potential power bat in the corner infield, as fans shared excitement about the possibility of him being the predecessor to the legendary Joey Votto.
2024 Struggles
With an impressive rookie campaign, the hype for Encarnacion-Strand heading into his sophomore season was high. Unfortunately, he played just a handful of games before going down for the remainder of the season with a fractured wrist. In those handful of games, he was dreadful, to say the least. All remnants of his rookie season prowess were now gone, as he slashed just .190/.220/.293 for a .513 OPS and 38 OPS+.
He managed to record a -1.0 bWAR in just 29 games, and hit just two home runs in that stretch. The swing and miss and plate discipline struggles then ensued, and so did his batted ball profile.
.299 xwOBA
.240 xBA
.432 xSLG
87.8 MPH Avg Exit Velo
8.4 Barrel%
37.3 Hard-Hit%
40.5 Chase%
29.4 Whiff%
28.5 K%
3.3 BB%
While yes, these numbers were not pretty, it could have simply been a slump. His year was cut short by injury, and despite it not being ideal, he had an entire season to recover and prepare for 2025.
2025 Struggles
Once again, Encarnacion-Strand entered a season with high expectations, and once again, he failed to meet them. His Opening Day home run was perhaps a sign of him putting his 2024 struggles behind him, but he has not.
Overall on the season, he is working on a .208/.234/.377 slash line, good for a .610 OPS and 63 OPS+. He’s hit the IL a few times and has put up an occasional hot week, but the season as a whole has not looked pretty, as he has been demoted to Triple-A on July 12th as a corresponding move to Jake Fraley’s return from the IL.
Encarnacion-Strand does have a career 1.048 OPS at the Triple-A level, but the Reds simply cannot afford to have him be a net negative in the lineup amidst their second-half postseason push.
Encarnacion-Strand’s Future in Cincinnati
While it is still relatively early on in his career, the Reds do not have the time to wait around for the possibility of Encarnacion-Strand developing to be the player he was expected to be.
A MONSTER GRAND SLAM FROM CHRISTIAN ENCARNACION-STRAND
pic.twitter.com/iykzYVPGRY
— MLB (@MLB) July 3, 2025
Cincinnati’s lineup is in the middle of the pack league-wide on power, and they have gotten very little production from the corner infield position. So if they receive an offer for Encarnacion-Strand in return for an older, more established corner infielder, they may pull the trigger.
As of now, it doesn’t seem like Encarnacion-Strand will get another shot in the big leagues before the deadline. It is a bit of a sad trajectory for the former 7th overall prospect in the Reds system.
Main Photo Credit: © Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
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