The Cincinnati Reds aren’t going to the playoffs this season, but that gives them a good opportunity to look toward the future.
They did that with their latest roster move. On Friday, they claimed Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers from the New York Yankees.
The Yankees had designated Cabrera for assignment on Wednesday to remove him from the 40-man roster, and now he has a new home.
Oswaldo Cabrera was claimed off waivers by the Reds after the Yankees DFA’d him on Wednesday. Good opportunity for the utilityman.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) September 18, 2026
It’s rare that players change teams this late in the season, but it’s a chance for the Reds to get a look at Cabrera before the offseason to see how he might fit into their future plans.
Cincinnati already has had success picking up one post-hype prospect from a playoff-contending team a bit earlier this summer when they got Juan Brito from the Cleveland Guardians, and they’re hoping to do it again with Cabrera.
Who is Oswaldo Cabrera?
Oswaldo Cabrera is a 27-year old utility man from Venezuela.
He has played the outfield and the infield in the major leagues, which gives him plenty of versatility as he joins a new ballclub.
Cabrera has spent his entire MLB career with the Yankees, spread across five seasons.
He hit .247 as a rookie in 44 games in 2022 with a .740 OPS, a career-high.
Cabrera then hung around for 115 games in 2023 and 108 in 2024.
He got just 34 games last season (.631 OPS) and was just 0-for-9 at the MLB level in 2026.
Cabrera is a career .232 hitter with a .635 OPS at the MLB level. In 304 games, he has 34 doubles, one triple, 20 homers and 15-for-20 stolen bases.
He has played his most MLB games at third base, followed by right field and left field, along with some second base, first base and shortstop.
This season has been almost entirely down at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for Cabrera. There, he has batted .288 with a .790 OPS that includes 14 doubles, one triple and 19 home runs, along with 12-of-13 stealing bases.
Oswaldo Cabrera Contract With Reds
The Reds picked up Cabrera in part because he has two more years of club control remaining. He won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season.
His exact salaries for the next two years are yet to be determined, because Cabrera is eligible for arbitration.
But it’s a shrewd move by the Reds to get him now as the Yankees tried to sneak him through the cracks off their 40-man roster. It gives Cincinnati a chance to see if Cabrera can be a future MLB player for them.
If it doesn’t work out, Cincy loses almost nothing by doing this, but if it does, the Reds will feel all the better for it.
Reds Add Oswaldo Cabrera From Yankees