The Cincinnati Reds are getting an early start on their offseason business.
They have already signed a former New York Yankees utility man to a one-year contract.
The news was announced officially by the Reds on Thursday: They’ve agreed on a one-year deal with Oswaldo Cabrera.
The Reds have agreed to terms on a one-year Major League contract with INF/OF Oswaldo Cabrera, avoiding arbitration.
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) October 15, 2026
Not many contracts are able to be signed right now, but Cabrera is eligible to do so since he was already with the Reds.
And as the post notes there, this avoids salary arbitration. Cabrera would’ve been eligible for the arbitration process later this offseason, but instead of going through that argumentative process, the Reds and Cabrera have just added some certainty for each other before what could be an unusual offseason.
Oswaldo Cabrera With Reds
The Yankees placed Cabrera on waivers in September, which allowed the Reds to claim him on Sept. 18.
Cincinnati wasn’t in the playoff picture, and they were simply hoping to add an intriguing younger player to see what he might be able to do.
Apparently, they liked what Cabrera showed them in a brief time.
Cabrera played in just four games with the Reds.
In those games, he went 4-for-13 with a pair of doubles. he also walked once and stole a base.
The Reds used Cabrera at third base, shortstop and left field in those four games, so they got a little bit of a look at him everywhere.
That versatility is one of his calling cards, and the package that Cabrera brings clearly impressed Cincinnati.
Oswaldo Cabrera With Yankees
Cabrera signed with the Yankees all the way back in 2015 as an international free agent, just a teenager out of Venezuela. He stayed in the New York organization until they waived him in September.
Cabrera made his Yankees debut in the 2022 season and was very solid that year. In 44 games, he had eight doubles, a triple, six home runs and 19 RBI. He hit .247 with a .740 OPS.
It was downhill in 2023. Cabrera hit just .211 with a .574 OPS in 115 games, including five home runs. He did steal all eight bases he attempted to take.
Cabrera bounced back in 2024. He batted .247 with a .661 OPS and 1.3 Wins Above Replacement in 108 games.
The Yankees played Cabrera for just 34 games in 2025 with a .243 average, .631 OPS and 0.4 WAR.
Cabrera was totally out of favor in 2026. He got just three Yankees games, and he was 0-for-9 with four strikeouts.
After more than a decade belonging to the Yankees, the 27-year-old Cabrera finally goes somewhere new.
Reds Sign Ex-Yankees Starter to 1-Year Contract