Cincinnati Reds DFA Recent Starter in Shocking Move

It is a stunning fall from grace. The Cincinnati Reds' starting first baseman in 2024 and 2025, an elite prospect, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, has been designated for assignment.

Encarnacion-Strand DFA is a dramatic fall. He was their starting 1B as a sophomore as recently as the start of 2024 https://t.co/FiipZyQrLP
— Joshua (@JoshuaHowsam) April 8, 2026

After coming up in the second half of the 2023 season and establishing his massive power potential as a top 10 prospect, Encarnacion-Strand went into the 2024 season as the starting first baseman. But his promising .270 average, 13 HR and .805 OPS from 2023 did not translate, and injuries and poor performance derailed his '24 campaign. He hit just .190 with a .513 OPS in 29 games before missing the rest of the year.

They tried it again in '25, but after 15 games of batting just .158, he went down to injury again. Then after returning in June, he continued to struggle and was sent down to the minors for the rest of the year.

Encarnacion-Strand DFA'd, will likely be claimed by another MLB team

Still just 26 years old, it's highly likely that CES will be claimed by another team this week after being DFA'd, and his time with the Reds has come to an end.

His spot on the depth chart was already highly in question, with the emergence this season of rookie first baseman Sal Stewart. At third base, Encarnacion-Strand's other potential position, the Reds fortified themselves this season with the signing of Eugenio Suarez after adding Ke'Bryan Hayes last year.

Teams around the majors will undoubtedly be scrambling on the waiver wire to take a chance on CES, with his immense raw power.