The Cincinnati Reds have signed outfielder JJ Bleday to a one-year, $1.4 million contract, first reported by Robert Murray of Fansided.
Bleday was a first-round draft pick (fourth overall) by the Miami Marlins in the 2019 MLB Draft. Bleday was a college standout for the highly touted Vanderbilt University Baseball Program.
Bleday From Miami To Oakland
Bleday was traded to the then Oakland A’s (now Sacramento A’s) back in 2023 for left-handed reliever AJ Puk. Bleday is currently 28 years old, and so far, his career hasn’t panned out as experts projected. After a 2024 campaign for Bleday in which he posted a 124 WRC+ with 20 home runs during the A’s final year in Oakland, he took a step backwards in 2025, in which he hit for a measly .212 batting average with a .698 OPS and 90 WRC+, which was a far drop off from his .761 OPS in 2024.
Despite his offensive struggles at the major league level, Bleday is regarded as a center fielder with great arm strength and a hitter with a low chase percentage and a 10.5 percent walk rate, according to Baseball Savant. Bleday has had his share of struggles, not just offensively, but defensively, posting a -8 OAA (Outs Above Average) in 2025.
The Reds will need to clear space on their 40-man roster before adding Bleday to their big league roster. They also have control of Bleday and his contract through the 2028 season, with the option of sending him to Triple-A as well if necessary. Bleday will join the outfield in Cincinnati, alongside other left-handed hitters as well, such as Will Benson, TJ Friedl, and Gavin Lux.
Reds In Talks For Luis Robert Jr
The Reds were reportedly in trade talks with the Chicago White Sox for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. It is currently unknown whether this signing will take Cincinnati out of the running for Robert Jr, who several other teams, such as the New York Mets, have discussed in trade talks as well.
The Reds will be hoping to find untapped potential in Bleday’s player ceiling, both as a hitter and a defender, with his home games played in what’s considered a traditionally hitter-friendly stadium, Great American Ballpark. This move comes after the NL Central has been relatively active the last few weeks, with the Pirates trading for Brandon Lowe from the Rays and signing first baseman Ryan O’Hearn.
The Reds were in on the free agent pursuit of Kyle Schwarber, offering him a five-year deal for $125 million, in which Schwarber grew up in Middleton, Ohio, which is just 37.6 miles outside of Cincinnati. Still, he ultimately chose to re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies for five years $150 million at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida earlier this past month.
While not nearly as notable as if they signed Kyle Schwarber, JJ Bleday gives the Cincinnati Reds an option in terms of outfield depth who can play all three outfield positions at a low price with the potential of having a bounce-back season, and just maybe finding some hidden success with a young up-and-coming Reds team that won 83 games in 2025 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Reds Sign Former First Round Draft Pick, Vanderbilt Standout