Grading Cincinnati Reds' 2015-16 Offseason So Far

This time last year the Cincinnati Reds had just acquired Marlon Byrd and were preparing for another run at the National League Wild Card. Now they are in complete rebuild mode. They have traded Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman. They have signed no major league free agents, while picking up two players in the Rule 5 draft.

Let’s look at the things the Reds wanted to get done first. They wanted to move Brandon Phillips and Homer Bailey, neither of which got done. They wanted to check the value of Jay Bruce and got that done. They wanted to get younger, and adding Jake Cave and Chris O’Grady via the Rule 5 draft while not adding any free agents accomplished that.

Then there are the moves that the Reds did make. They traded Home Run Derby champion Frazier for Jose Peraza. They traded the face of their franchise under team control through 2017 for a top prospect second baseman. While the Reds got younger, they didn’t get better. They also traded Chapman for Caleb Cotham and other prospects. Those deals combined netted them seven prospects for two All-Stars. Chapman was under the Reds’ control for the 2016 season, but they traded two players under good contracts for pure prospects. These aren’t the moves of a soon to be championship team.

The Reds may still move Phillips, so it is tempting to give them an incomplete. Looking at the talent they pulled in, the Reds got numerous prospects, but only Peraza was among the trading clubs’ elite. The Reds got more back from the Johnny Cueto deal during the season.

2016 looks to be a tough season. The Reds didn’t get any help for the youngsters while allowing Phillips to stay, so this wasn’t a great offseason. Only getting Cave in the Rule 5 draft makes this passable.

Grade: C-