The Defection Era Of Cuban Baseball Players In Reds History

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The Defection Era

Tony Menendez was born in Cuba but debuted with the Reds in 1992 after attending high school at the American High School in Miami, Florida. He pitched the first of his three games with the Reds on June 22 at the age of 27. He was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA over 4 ⅔ innings.

Osvaldo Fernandez was a member of the Cuban national team that won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. On July 29, 1995, Fernández defected when Cuba played the United States in Millington, Tennessee. He signed as a free agent with the Reds in February 2000. Fernandez started a total of 28 games in 2000 and 2001. He was 9-9 with a 5.26 ERA.

Yonder Alonso was born in Havana in 1987 and settled in Miami after his father Luis and mother Damarys defected to the US in 1996. His father coached the Industriales in the Cuban National Series. Alonso graduated from Coral Gables High School and took a baseball scholarship with the University of Miami baseball team. The Reds drafted him with their first pick in the 2008 draft. Alonso broke in with the Reds in the 2010 season. He played in 98 games in 2011 and hit .330 with five home runs. Joey Votto was the Reds’ first baseman and the Reds attempt to move Alonso to left field just didn’t work out. The Reds packaged him and fellow Cuban born, Miami player Yasmani Grandal for Mat Latos of the San Diego Padres. Alonso played 10 years with seven teams and hit .259 with 181 doubles and 100 home runs. Alonso embarked on a new career as an analyst for the MLB Network.  

Yasmani Grandal was the Reds first round pick in the 2010 draft but broke into the Major Leagues with the San Diego Padres in 2012. Grandal was born in Havana, Cuba, where he played shortstop and third base on a junior national team.[ He entered the US through a lottery system with his mother, stepfather, and maternal grandparents at age 10 through the lottery system. He entered the United States in July 1999 and became a United States citizen five years later.

Brayan Pena, a catcher, was born in Havana in 1982. He was a member of the Cuban National Junior team. He entered the US in 1999. Pena signed with the Reds as a free agent in November 2013. He caught 115 games in 2014 and 108 in 2015. The switch hitter hit .253 and .273 respectively. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a free agent in November 2015.

Raisel Iglesias was born in 1990.  In September 2013, Iglesias attempted to defect from Cuba. He hid in the mountains of Isla de la Juventud, his home town, but was caught and was detained. In November of that same year, Iglesias successfully defected from Cuba. He established his residency in Haiti before holding an open tryout in Mexico in December 2013. The  right hander, signed with the Reds as an amatuer free agent in June 2014. He started 16 big league games in 2015. Iglesias was the opening day starter in 2016 but only made four more starts before moving to the bullpen. Iglesias pitched in 274 games in six seasons with the Reds. He had an 18-32 record and a 3.15 ERA. Iglesias saved 106 games before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels after the 2020 season.

Jose Iglesias born in Havana, one day after Raisel, he also defected from Cuba. With pitcher Noel Argüelles, Iglesias left the Cuban junior national team while in Canada in July 2008. Iglesias signed as an international amateur free agent with the Boston Red Sox in September 2009. He signed with the Reds as a free agent on February 23, a week into spring training. The Reds moved Jose Peraza to second base. Iglesias played in one season. He played 146 games, hit .288 with 21 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 59 RBI. He signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles the next January. Iglesias played for the New York Mets last season and is currently a free agent.

Yasiel Puig defected from Cuba in 2012 and signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Dodgers. He made his MLB debut on June 3, 2013. That season, Puig hit .319 in 104 games with 19 home runs, and was selected by Baseball America to their annual "All-Rookie team". The following season, he started in the All-Star Game. The Dodgers traded Puig to the Reds before the 2019 season, and the Reds traded Puig to the Indians at the 2019 trade deadline. Longtime Dodgers broadcaster, Vin Scully, called him the “Wild Horse” and it fit the loud, emotional temperament that was difficult to manage. He played 100 games with the Reds, he hit .252 with 15 doubles, a triple, 22 home runs and drove in 61 runs.

The last two are the beginning of the modern era where leaving Cuba is not the hazard it once was. Getting Visas from the current US government is the bigger problem.

Jose Barrero is a 27-year old Havana native. He changed his name from Garcia to honor his mother who died of COVID in 2020. The Reds signed him as an international free agent in 2017. He was once a top prospect for the Reds. Barrero played 2019 with the Low-A Daytona Tortugas, appearing in 104 contests and batting .280/.343/.436 with eight home runs, 55 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League. The Reds invited Barrero to Spring Training in 2020,] but he was not immediately assigned to an affiliate after the minor league season was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. He played 24 games in 2020 and 21 in 2021. He was set to make a bid to open the season with the Reds but Barrero would miss at least six weeks with a hamate injury in his left hand/wrist. He made his season debut on August 3. On August 6, Barrero hit his first major league home run off of Milwaukee Brewers starter Aaron Ashby. The two-run shot was part of a two-homer, three RBI game (the second homer coming off of Hoby Milner). In 48 games for the Reds, he slashed .152/.195/.206. Barrero was in the opening day lineup in 2023 but was optioned to Louisville in mid-June hitting .218 with two home runs. He resurfaced with the Cardinals last season but he was granted free agency in June and signed with the Baltimore Orioles.

Yosver Zulueta, the only current Cuban national on the Reds roster, was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in June 2019. The Reds claimed off waivers in March 2024 because Toronto could no longer protect him. The 27-year old has been up and down with the big club the last two seasons mostly to cover for injuries or over use. He has pitched in 19 games combined the last two seasons, logging 23 ⅔ innings with a 5.32 ERA. He won his only Major League decision with ⅔ innings of scoreless relief on September 1 when the Reds rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth against Toronto.

Cuban Baseball Intersects With Reds' History

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The Reds released the 2026 spring training schedule that includes an exhibition game against the Cuban National team on March4 before the Cuban team opens the World Baseball Classic in Puerto Rico on March 5.

The Cuban national team has always been a top contender in international baseball competition. The Major Leagues boasted 26 players on major league rosters in 2025, the most ever from the island and more than the previous high of 23 in 2016.

Two Cubans played in the 2025 World Series. Outfielder Andy Pages for the Dodgers and Yariel Rodríguez a right handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cuban Players History

There are three distinct periods for Cubans who longed to play in the Major Leagues. 

The early 1900’s when Major League owners barred black players from participating. Several players from the Negro Leagues tried to get around it by claiming Cuban citizenship. Satchel Paige famously tried this angle.

The pre Castro ERA in the mid 1950’s through the revolution in 1960.

The defection era Castro’s pride in baseball played on the island allowed Cuban teams to compete internationally. It led to players abandoning their teammates and their families.

The Cuban Work Around the Color Line

Adolfo “Dolf” Luque pitched for the Reds in the 1919 World Series against the Chicago White Sox. He pitched five scoreless innings with no walks and six strikeouts in the series, (known for the Black Sox scandal. Eight Chicago players were bribed by gamblers to throw games.) Luque is in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. He led baseball with 27 wins and a 1.93 ERA in the 1923 season. Luque won 154 games for the Reds in 12 seasons. 

Mike Gonzalez, a catcher who played for the Reds in 1914. He hit .333 in 95 games for the Reds and managed the Havana Reds in the Cuban winter leagues.

Manuel Cueto played in 151 games for the Reds in three seasons from 1917 through the 1919 World Championship season, in which he hit .250 in 29 games.

Rafael Almeida played in a total of 102 games for the Reds at third base from 1911 through 1913 with a .270 batting average with three home runs. He also hit six triples.

Pedro Dibut, a right hander pitched in parts of 1924 and 1925. He started in two of his nine appearances with a 3-0 record and 2.21 ERA. He pitched to three batters on April 22, 2025 and never pitched another Major League game.

The Havana Sugar Kings Pipeline

The Reds have always been strapped for cash. With the reserve clause and few roster limits, the team looked to Cuba for players. Branch Ricky had more minor league teams than the Reds had funds. The New York Yankees could outbid everyone for amatuer players and stock pile them. It was a practice that shut out poor teams from signing talent. It also kept players who deserved to be in the Major Leagues a chance to compete.

The Sugar Kings began life in 1946 as the Havana Cubans, founded by Washington Senators scout Joe Cambria. That year, they (rather than a Cuban League side) represented Cuba at the inaugural Interamerican Series, the predecessor to the modern Caribbean Series.

Roberto "Bobby" Maduro bought the team during the 1953 season with aspirations of bringing Major League Baseball to Havana. After the 1953 season, the Springfield Cubs folded, leaving an opening in the Triple-A International League. Maduro moved his franchise to the IL and renamed it the Sugar Kings. After playing the 1954 season as an independent club, the franchise signed an agreement with the Cincinnati Reds for the 1955 season and the Sugar Kings became Cincinnati's top farm club for the remainder of their existence. When Castro nationalized businesses in Cuba, Maduro moved the team to Jersey City.

Tommy de la Cruz pitched in 34 games, 20 starts in 1944. He had a 9-9 record with a 3.25 ERA. De la Cruz's big break was World War II. On September 16, de la Cruz pitched a one-hitter, the first ever pitched in the major leagues by a Latin American pitcher—against the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 2–1. 

Leo Cardenas, the Reds shortstop from 1960 through 1968, had a double in three at bats against the New York Yankees in the 1961 World Series. He still lives in Cincinnati today and at the age of 86, the native of Matanzas Cuba, attends Reds events. He played for the Sugar Kings before playing for the Reds. Cardenas was a National League All-Star in 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1968. He hit 20 home runs in 1966 and had a career-high .287 batting average in 1965.  

Tony Perez, a key player for the Big Red Machine, is the only Cuban native in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He immigrated to the United States in 1960 and played in the Reds minor leagues along with Pete Rose and Tommy Helms. He made his debut with the Reds on July 26, 1964 and played for 16 seasons with the Reds. Perez, known as “Doggie" or the “Big Dog” was an All-Star seven times, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975 and 1976. He was the All-Star MVP in 1967. Perez finished third in the National League behind teammate Johnny Bench and the Cubs Billy Williams in 1970. That season he posted career-highs with a .317 batting average, 40 home runs and 129 RBI.

The native of Camaguey, Cuba, played in four World Series with the Reds, hitting three home runs in the 1975 World Series win against the Boston Red Sox, including the key home run in game seven that put the Reds on the scoreboard in a 3-0 game the Reds eventually won. 

Perez left Cincinnati after that season and played for the Montreal Expos, the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies (he played in the 1980 WS) before returning to the Reds in 1984 to finish his playing career on October 5, 1986. He coached first base for the Reds and was the Reds’ manager for 44 games in 1993. His son Eduardo played three seasons for the Reds.

Mike Cuellar joined the Reds from the Sugar Kings in 1959. His three brothers worked in the sugar fields. Cuellar joined the Army, allowing him to play baseball on weekends. He pitched two games with the Reds in 1959. He pitched four innings in two games and allowed seven runs. The Reds lost track of him and he struggled playing minor league baseball in Nicaragua and Mexico for five years, Teammate Ruben Gomez taught him to throw a screwball and he resurfaced in 1964 with the Cardinals. They traded him to Houston, who dealt him to Baltimore where he became a star. Starting in 1969 Cuellar won 23,24,20,18,18 and 22 in straight seasons. His 24 wins and 40 starts in 1970 led the majors. He completed 172 games over 15 years.

Miguel de la Hoz played in one game for the Reds in 1969 after being a starter for the Cleveland Indians and a utility player for the Braves in Milwaukee and Atlanta.

Tony Gonzalez broke in with the Reds in 1960 as part of the Havana Sugar Kings pipeline along with Cardenas, Cuellar and Perez. He played 39 games with the Reds in 1960 before he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Wally Post, who was a key player for the 1961 Reds.

Vicente Armor, a right hander, broke in with the Chicago Cubs in 1955. He appeared in four games for the Reds, starting four of them. He had a 1-2 record with a 5.92 ERA. Amor started four games for the Reds in 1957. 

Raul Sanchez pitched for the Reds in 1957 and 1960. He appeared in 46 games over those two seasons, all in relief.

Danny Morejon played 12 games for the Reds in the outfield in 1958. He hit .190.

Orlando Pena started his 14-year career with the Reds in 1958. In his three seasons with the Reds, Pena was 6-10 with a 4.27 ERA in 59 games. He appeared in 427 big league games with eight teams. Pena started 93 games. He had a career 3.27 ERA and a 56-77 record. He also saved 40 games.

Rogelio Alvarez played first base for the Reds in 17 total games during the 1960 and 1962 seasons. He hit .189.

Joe Azcue broke in with the Reds in 1960. He caught in 14 games for the Reds that season and hit .097. The Milwaukee Braves purchased his contract that winter and traded him to the Kansas City Athletics where he started a 10-year career in the American League in 1962. He played seven seasons in Cleveland.

Hiraldo Sablon “Chico” Ruiz started his career with the Reds in 1964. He played a utility role with the Reds and famously said, “bench me or trade me,” in jest after he started  64 games of his career-high 105 to cover injuries to Tommy Helms, including 31 in a row. In his six seasons with the Reds through 1969, Ruiz hit .239 in 466 games. Ruiz stole home with Frank Robinson at bat to beat the Philadelphia Phillies on September 21. It was the only run in a 1-0 game. Ruiz was on third base with two outs in the sixth inning after a single by Vada Pinson. Pinson was thrown out at second trying for a double. He stole home. Robinson had no idea he was coming. Robinson grounded out to end the inning. The game was the second win in a nine-game winning streak that saw the Reds erase a 6 ½ game lead to take over the NL lead from the Phillies on September 27. 

Camilo Pascual was a 20-game winner for the Minnesota Twins in 1962 (20) and 1963 (21). He pitched in five games for the Reds in 1969 with one start.

Pedro Ramos pitched for the franchise that was the Washington Senators in 1955 and moved to Minnesota to become the Twins in 1961. Ramos led the American League in losses from 1958 through 1961. He had a high of 20 losses in 1961. Ramos pitched for the Reds in 38 games in 1969. He was 4-3 with a 5.16 ERA. He also saved two games. The Reds were the only team among the six that he played for which he had a winning record. Ramos lost a total of 160 games while winning 117 in his 15-year career. However, he logged 2,355 ⅔ innings, including the 66 ⅓ in a Reds’ uniform. He led the American League in hits allowed, 277 and runs allowed 222 in 1958.

Infielder Cookie Rojas played for the Sugar Kings in 1959. He also started the season with them but left Havana after Castro took over in January of that year. Rojas was with the team when it moved to New Jersey.. He broke in with the Reds in 1962, joining the defending National League champions. Rojas hit .229 in 39 games for the Reds. Rojas was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Jim Owens in November. He played for the Phillies, Kansas City Royals and briefly with the St. Louis Cardinals over a 16-year career. Rojas played in 1,822 games and had a .263 career average. In 1988 after a long stint as a coach at Kansas City, he managed the California Angels and had a 75-79 record before he was fired. Rojas managed the Florida Marlins for one game in 1996 between Rene Lachemann and John Boles. He won that game.

Reds Spring Training Tickets Go On Sale December 12

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Reds 2026 Spring Training tickets on sale tomorrow

Cactus League games start February 21 at Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona

Single-game tickets for Cincinnati Reds Spring Training home games will go on sale Friday, Dec. 12, at Noon EST (10 a.m. MST) at reds.com/spring. 

reds.com/spring

The Reds open 2026 Cactus League play on Saturday, Feb. 21 vs. the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.

The Reds are scheduled to play 17 games at Goodyear Ballpark, including a World Baseball Classic exhibition vs. Cuba and two games as the visiting team against the Guardians. 

Highlights of the 2026 season at Goodyear Ballpark: 

• Opening Day - Saturday, Feb. 21 vs. Cleveland Guardians (2026 Schedule Magnet)

• Monday, March 2 vs. Chicago Cubs 

• Wednesday, March 4 vs. Cuba (World Baseball Classic exhibition) 

• Thursday, March 5 vs L.A. Dodgers 

• Tuesday, March 17 vs. Cleveland (St. Paddy’s Day Pint Glass)

• Sunday, March 22 vs Cleveland (Ace Stress Ball/Fan Appreciation Day)

For the full spring training schedule and additional details on Single-Game Tickets, Season Ticket Packages, Mini Plans and Group Tickets, visit GoodyearBP.com or reds.com/Spring.

Schedule and promotions are subject to change. 

Reds Retain Emergency Closer

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Emilio Pagan re-upped with the Reds on Thursday.

Pagan took over as closer by default last season. Reigning closer, Alexis Diaz, was hurt in spring training and ineffective when he recovered. Diaz was eventually traded to the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pagan became a free agent at the end of the season and decided to come back rather than maximize his paycheck. 

"Yeah, I mean, (I'm) super excited. And, yeah, pretty easy, pretty easy choice to come back. I like everything that we got going on here, and so I knew this is where I wanted to be," Pagan said. "Making the playoffs, I mean, obviously it played a factor, you know, the same way it did when I signed here after the 23 season. You know, I've said this a few times, I'm a baseball fan, and so during that 23 season, you saw these young guys come up, and I'm watching highlights every night, and it seemed to kind of consistently be Red's highlights there for a long stretch of that summer. And now, having been here with these guys. I mean, they've turned into some of my best friends. I talked to these guys every day. For the most part, I'm talking to somebody on this team checking in, talking smack about fantasy football, all kinds of stuff. And so, you know, I knew this is where I wanted to be. And I think, I think last year was just scratching the surface of what what we can become."

Pagan had his most impactful seasons of his career. He finished second in the National League and tied for fifth in Major League Baseball with 32 saves. It was one of the career highs he set this year. He also pitched in a career-high 70 games and finished a career-high 56 games. His previous high was 20 saves with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019.

Pagan was the hero of the game against the Cleveland Guardians on May 18. Pitching in his third day in a row, Pagan nailed down a 3-1 win by navigating the middle of the Guardians lineup with tying runs on base. Pagan saved all three games of that series sweep.

His performance as an emergency closer made him a high demand commodity in the free agent market.

"It (free agency) kind of started a little bit faster. That was really the only difference. I mean, we had, you know, a lot of interest last time, but it took a little bit to kind of get going. And, you know, we got a lot of phone calls early, and I'm thankful for those." Pagan said. "Anytime a major league team is calling you and showing interest in you. Like, it's a humbling experience, you know, like, I've worked my whole life to play baseball at the major league level, and so I'm grateful for those teams that we're calling but, you know, again, I was pretty straightforward with my agent. You know, this is where me and my family wanted to be. And so for me, it was, it was always going to kind of come back to this place, and, you know, I was hopeful that we could get something worked out, and I'm glad that we did."

The 34-year old signed a $20 million contract for two years. It was an important signing in light of the free agency of Scott Barlow, Brent Suter and Nick Martinez. The Reds also granted free agency to Carson Spiers.

"I said this at the end of the year too, and might have shot myself in the foot a little bit, but, like, I don't play, I don't play baseball because of the money." Pagan said. "Like, the money is great and it provides a lot of things that I can do in my life, for my family and for other people. But, you know, I wasn't that concerned with the market, to be honest. You know, I do owe a little bit to the game and to, you know, future players."

Redsfest Is Back

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January 16-17 at the Cincinnati Convention Center

Redsfest, benefiting the Reds Community Fund, returns January 16-17, 2026, as the first event to be held in the newly renovated Cincinnati Convention Center.

After a two-year hiatus due to the convention center’s closure, Redsfest is back with fun for the whole family, featuring autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with current and former players, interactive games for fans of all ages, game-used and authentic memorabilia, and much more.

Event hours are Friday, Jan. 16, from 3 to 10:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now at reds.com/Redsfest. 

• Two-day tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and younger. One-day tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for kids. Children three and under are admitted free.

• The first 10,000 fans in attendance each day will receive a Redsfest drawstring bag and sticker sheet.

Reds Season Ticket Members will receive complimentary admission. 

Proceeds from Redsfest presented by PNC will benefit the Reds Community Fund’s baseball and softball-themed outreach programs. 

Details on Redsfest schedules, events and appearances will be announced later.

Redsfest Poker Tournament

The 2026 Prestige AV & Creative Services Rick Steiner Memorial Poker Tournament presented by BetMGM, benefiting the Reds Community Fund, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Grand Ballroom on the third floor of the Cincinnati Convention Center. Each table will feature a current or former Reds player, coach, broadcaster or other local celebrity. For more information and to register, visit Reds.com/Poker.

Redsfest Volunteers Needed

More than 400 volunteers per day are needed to help make Redsfest a fun and successful experience for all fans. Volunteers will receive a meal voucher, parking stipend, and a ticket voucher good for two tickets to a 2026 Reds game. Learn more at Reds.com/Redsfest.

2026 6-Pack Plans And Reds Bobbleheads

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The 2026 Reds Pick-6 Plan features a new exclusive Elly De La Cruz “Light Up” bobblehead

The Reds Pick-6 Plan is on sale now for the 2026 season.

Fans can save on the choice of six Reds home games, plus take home an exclusive Elly De La Cruz “Light Up” bobblehead. This all-new bobble features a City Connect-themed base that lights up in red, with Elly doing his signature “dab” while rounding third base after a home run.

2026 Reds Pick-6 Plan features an exclusive Elly De La Cruz “Light Up” Bobblehead

Each Pick-6 Plan includes:

• Choice of any 6 Reds regular season home games (not including Opening Day)

• Exclusive Elly De La Cruz “Light Up” Bobblehead

• Savings off regular ticket prices

• Free coupon from Penn Station

For more information or to purchase, visit reds.com/Pick6.

2026 Bobblehead Games

The 2026 promotional schedule features an all-new lineup of Reds bobbleheads available at select home games throughout the season. Fans can reserve their tickets for those games now through the Pick-6 Plan, which is the only way to secure the exclusive Elly De La Cruz “Light Up” bobblehead.

• Saturday, April 11 – Noelvi Marte “Wall Catch” Bobblehead

• Saturday, May 9 – STAR WARS™ Bobblehead

• Saturday, May 23 – Ke’Bryan Hayes Gold Glove Bobblehead

• Saturday, May 30 – Spencer Steer Baseball Card Bobblehead

• Saturday, June 13 – Andrew Abbott Bobblehead

• Saturday, August 1 – Terry Francona Bobblehead

• Saturday, September 5 – Elly De La Cruz Bobblehead

Fans can also use the Pick-6 Plan to reserve tickets to the 2026 Reds Hall of Fame Induction Weekend Celebration presented by PNC on April 24-26.

More details on additional promotions will be announced at a later date. For more information and all available ticket options, call (513) 381-REDS (7337) or visit reds.com/Tickets.

Brigham Young Hands UC A Third Straight Loss

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The Brigham Young University Cougars took a leap forward toward a Big 12 title with a 26-14 win over the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. It was Cincinnati's third straight loss in the conference.

The Cougars 10-1 (7-1 Big 12) and (11 AP) came to Nippert Stadium Saturday night with a chance to clinch a spot in the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas on December 6 at noon Eastern on ABC.

The Cougars needed a win over the Bearcats 7-4 (5-3 Big 12) and a loss by Arizona State to Colorado, tonight. Utah's 51-47 win over Kansas State, helped the BYU cause.

"We went toe-to-toe with those guys and didn't play our best ball," Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We missed three field goals. We got fourth and one inside the five and don't get it. It comes down to execution. We didn't make enough plays."

The Bearcats stopped the Cougars on the first possession forcing a punt from the Cincinnati 46 yard line.

The Cougars got the ball back at midfield and drove 50 yards in 10 plays to score with 4:39 in the first quarter. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier carried to ball over the goal line from six yards out. Will Ferrin converted from placement.

Cincinnati fell short of the BYU two yard line on two tries to turn the ball over on downs on the first play of the second quarter.

"The have a real good red zone defense," Satterfield as his team scored just once on three red zone chances.

The Bearcats forced a punt from inside the Cougars 10 and took over on the BYU 47 with 12:58 left in the half.

Stephen Rusnak missed a 42-yard field goal attempt after a third down pass to Noah Jennings was ruled incomplete on review.

The Bearcats forced a punt and Manny Covey returned it 57 yards to the BYU 33. Two plays later Brendan Sorsby found Cyrus Allen in the endzone with a game-tying 33-yard touchdown pass with 6:34 in the first half. It was Allen's conference leading 11th touchdown catch.

Ferrin kicked a 31-yard field goal with 1:56 left to give the Cougars a 10-7 lead.

Rusnak missed a 40-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds in the first half as BYU took a three-point lead into halftime.

Sorsby was intercepted by Tanner Wall at the Cougar 34 yard line. BYU drove 66 yards on 10 plays with LJ Martin scoring from a yard out to extend its lead to 17-7 with 8:26 left in the third quarter.

Rusnak, who kicked 22 straight field goals to begin the season, missed his third field goal when 48-yard attempt with 5:15 in the third quarter was wide left.

"Stephen missed one field goal in 10 games and missed three tonight," Satterfield said. "We get nine more points tonight it is a little bit different there when we're calling plays and they're calling plays. I have a lot of confidence in Stephen. I watch him kick in practice. He usually doesn't let anything bother him."

Cincinnati held BYU to a fouth and three but Marquavious Saboor was offside on the punt, giving the Cougars a first down.

Ferrin capped a 12-play, 56-yard scoring drive that ate over six minutes with a 32-yard field goal to increase BYU's lead to 20-7 with 14:07 left in the game.

Cincinnati closed to within a touchdown at 4:37 when Sorsby completed a 19-yard pass to Jeff Caldwell to complete an 86-yard drive in eight plays in 3:14.

Martin finished the scoring with a 33-yard run. The two-point try failed. Martin finished with 223 yards on 32 carries.

Brigham Young Could Clinch A Spot In The Big 12 Title Game With A Win Over UC

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Brigham Young University took a big step toward the Big 12 Championship by sending the University of Cincinnati Bearcats to its third straight loss, 20-7.

A win by number 11 Brigham Young 10-1, 7-1 Big 12)could clinch their spot in the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The win over Cincinnati (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) tonight and losses by Arizona State coupled with Utah's 51-47 win over Kanas State will clinch a birth for the Cougars from Provo, Utah. They could also clinch with a win over Cincinnati, an Arizona State loss combined with Houston's 17-14 loss to TCU this afternoon.

Texas Tech (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) will clinch with a BYU win over the Bearcats and a loss by Arizona State to Colorado, tonight.

The Raiders, who are idle this week, can get in if Arizona State, BYU loss to Cincinnati. Utah's 51-47 win over Kansas State, extends the suspense for another week.

Cincinnati Bearcats Fall To The Arizona Wildcats In First Ever Meeting

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The Cincinnati Bearcat #25 and Arizona Wildcats played each other for the first time. The Wildcats held on for a 30-24 win by running the last 5:04 off the clock and Michael Salgano-Medina kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:34 left in the game.

Cincinnati (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) came into the game on top of the Big 12 while Arizona (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) had momentum with wins in its last two games."

Tawee Walker rushed for 119 yards but Brendan Sorsby had one of his worst passing days of the season and threw two interceptions. He also rolled his ankle late in the third quarter. Sorsby ended with 154d yards passing but only had 75 through the third quarter.

"We didn't make enough plays," head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We missed some tackles, too. Give Arizona credit. They took some things away from us. They doubled Joe Royer and we can't force it to him. There has to be someone one-on-one when they do that. We had some drops and they just made more plays than we did."

The Bearcats were without running back Evan Pryor and wide receiver Caleb Goodie. Both should be ready for Brigham Young University, next Saturday. True freshman running back, Zion Johnson from Covington, Georgia, emerged from the scout team to contribute 42 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

"I haven't done a good job against one-on-one coverage the last two weeks," Sorsby said. "We have to figure it out because that's what we're going to see the rest of the way. Goodie can stretch the defense and is really fast but we have to figure it out with who we have."

The loss hurts the Bearcats chances of playing for the Big 12 title but they have BYU next week, face-to-face to take care of that aspiration.

"There are a lot of good teams in this conference," nose tackle, Dontay Corleone said. "Last year everyone had two losses at the end."

Sorsby threw an interception on the first play from . Jay'Vion Cole picked off the pass and returned it to the Cincinnati 26. Two plays later, Ismail Mahdi scored on a 27-yard run. Michael Salgado-Medina converted from placement for the extra point with 14:04 remaining in the first quarter.

Tawee Walker broke free on a 39-yard run and Zion Johnson ran for 21 yards. Those plays set up a three-yard touchdown run by Sorsby. Stephen Rusnak kicked the extra point to tie the game with 11:07 left in the quarter.

The Bearcats stopped Arizona on the next series. The Bearcats took five plays to cover 74 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Walker picked up 54 yards on the ground on the first play from scrimmage. Sorsby connected with Jeff Caldwell for a seven-yard score.

Cincinnati survived a 50-yard field goal attempt by Salgado-Medina with 3:48 left in the quarter.

The Bearcats went three and out. Arizona got the ball back on the 50 after Cincinnati interfered with the fair catch. 

Mathew McDoom interfered with Noah Fifta's pass to give the Wildcats a first down on the Cincinnati 35. The quarter ended with Arizona's first and 10 from Cincinnati's 11-yard line. Logan Wilson blocked Arizona's 34-yard attempt. It was the first blocked field goal since 2022 by Jawon Briggs against Navy.

Sorsby threw his second interception of the half. Dalton Johnson intercepted Sorsby's pass intended for Cyress Allen at the Arizona 36. Sorsby did not turn the ball over at all in the Bearcats first eight games but has now thrown three interceptions in the last two games.

Cincinnati held Arizona to a 24-yard field goal by Salgado-Medina to cut the Bearcats lead to 14-10 at halftime. 

Arizona took the first possession of the second half to the Cincinnati seven. The Bearcats defense held and Salgado-Medina kicked a 25-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 68-yard drive to cut the Cincinnati lead to 14-13.

Cincinnati went three and out on its first possession of the second half but punter Max Fletcher pinned to Wildcats on their out one with 7:49 left in the third quarter. 

The Wildcats drove 99 yards in six plays. Fifita completed a 30-yard pass to Chris Hunter on a third and five. Kedrick Reescano ran for a 50-yard score to give Arizona a 20-14 lead with 5:21 left in the third quarter.

Sorsby threw a 37-yard pass to Allen to set up Rusnak's 28-yard field goal to cut the Wildcats' lead to 20-17 at the end of the quarter.

The Wildcats took a 27-17 lead with a 75-yard, nine-play scoring drive. Fifita threw 15 yards to Gio Richardson in the endzone. There were 10:53 left in the game.

Cincinnati converted on a fourth and one with a four-yard pass to Caldwell. Johnson capped the drive with a one-yard plunge with 6:38 to play,

Reds Roster Undergoes Housekeeping

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

On November 6, The Reds made the following roster moves.

The Reds reinstated RHP Julian Aguiar, INF Tyler Callihan, RHP Rhett Lowder, RHP Carson Spiers, LHP Brandon Williamson, from the 60-day injured list.

They sent RHP Sam Benschoter outright to AAA-Louisville.

The team selected the contract of RHP Jose Franco from AAA-Louisville.

Cincinnati claimed RHP Roddery Muñoz (pronounced "rah-duh-ree MOON-yohs") off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

LHP Reiver Sanmartin was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants.

Aguiar is a 24-year old from Long Beach, California. He was taken by the Reds in the 12th round of the 2021 draft out of Cypress College. The Reds brought him to the big leagues in 2024. He started against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 19 and pitched four innings allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, striking out two in a 6-3 Reds’ win. He was the winning pitcher against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 24. Aguiar worked six innings allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out four. The Reds won all of the first six games he started, including his 6 ⅓ inning effort against the Minnesota Twins on September 13. He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out four. The last game Aguier pitched was on September 19. He lasted four innings but surrendered seven runs in a 15-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves. He suffered a right elbow strain and had surgery on October 24, 2024. He will compete for a starting rotation spot this spring.

Callihan was the Reds third round draft pick in 2019 from the Providence School of Jacksonville. The 25-year old made his first big league appearance in the first game of a doubleheader on April 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Callihan got his first hit and RBI on May 3 against the Washington Nationals. He started the May 5th game in Atlanta when he had multiple serious injuries trying to make a catch on a fly ball down the left field line by Matt Olson. The play resulted in an inside-the-park home run in a 4-0 loss to the Braves. Callihan had a broken left forearm and had wrist surgery on May 6.

Lowder (No. 5 prospect) right forearm strain/left oblique strain missed spring training and rehabbed the entire 2025 season. He is pitching in the Arizona Fall League. An innings expectation wasn't known, but the club wants Lowder to have a normal offseason heading into Spring Training 2026.

Williamson is recovering from a torn left UCL. He had  “Tommy John”  surgery in September 2024. He was expected to complete his rehab throwing program in October and have a full offseason before returning to compete for a rotation spot in 2026.

Spiers, another pitcher competing for a rotation spot, earned it this spring while Andrew Abbott was on the mend and Graham Ashcraft was moved on to the bullpen. Spiers was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. He also had Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. Keith Meister.

Franco, 24, split the 2025 campaign between double A Chattanooga and triple A Louisville, pitching to a 10-4 record with a 3.11 ERA across 31 appearances (26 starts). This past season, he paced all Reds farmhands in wins and also ranked among the organization's minor-league leaders in starts (T1st), strikeouts (118, 2nd), and innings pitched (110, 4th). Originally signed by the Reds as a minor league free agent on 10/16/18, Franco has pitched in parts of five seasons in the Reds organization.

Muñoz, 25, has pitched in 27 games (17 starts) across parts of two Major League seasons with the Miami Marlins (2024) and St. Louis Cardinals (2025). He spent most of the 2025 campaign with the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate, where he pitched to a 4-3 record with a 3.28 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 38 appearances (all in relief).

On November 2 OF/DH Miguel Andujar, RHP Emilio Pagán elected free agency, LHP Wade Miley, RHP Zack Littell and RHP Nick Martinez elected free agency

 

Reds Decline Three Options and Sign Keegan Thompson

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall announced the signing of free-agent RHP Keegan Thompson to a 1-year Major League contract through the 2026 season on November 4.

Thompson, 30, spent the entire 2025 campaign with the AAA-Iowa Cubs after being designated for assignment by Chicago on March 17. Thompson made 35 appearances (two starts) with the club, he pitched to a 6-2 record with a 4.50 ERA (64ip, 33r/32er).

Selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2017 first-year player draft, Thompson made 104 appearances (23 starts) in parts of 4 Major League seasons with the team. He made his Major League debut against the Reds on May 2, 2021, at Great American Ball Park.

Today, November 5 the Reds declined their options on Scott Barlow, Brent Suter and Austin Hays making them free agents. 

The Reds have 32 players on the roster, including Thompson.

Cuban National Team Highlights The Reds 2026 Cactus League Schedule

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The Reds will host the Cuban National team at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4.

The Reds announced its spring training schedule that includes this game in advance of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Other highlights include two meetings with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers on March 5 in Goodyear and March 12 in Glendale, Arizona at the Dodgers facility at Camelback Ranch.

The Cactus League opens with the Cleveland Guardians hosting the Reds on February 21. The spring training version of the Ohio Cup will continue with the Reds the home team on what has become a tradition on St. Patrick’s day on March 17. The Reds break camp against Cleveland on March 22 before making a stop over in Milwaukee to play the defending Central Division Champion Brewers on March 23 and 24. The teams meet twice in Arizona with the Reds at Maryvale on February 28 and in Goodyear on March 11.

The Reds play the Chicago Cubs on March 2 in Goodyear and March 20 in Mesa at Sloan Park.

The schedule includes split squads on March 8 Arizona home and San Diego up the road in Peoria, March 13 San Francisco at home and in Scottsdale and March 18 Colorado at home and Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.

Off days are scheduled on February 23, March 3 and 19.

After the Reds finish the two game set in Milwaukee they will have a workout day at Great American Ball Park and open the season against the Boston Red Sox on March 26.

 

Reds Clear Space On Roster Add To Coaching Staff

 

 

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The Reds cleared three 40-man roster spots in the first three days of November.

Infielder Santiago Espinal and right handed relief pitcher Ian Gibaut were assigned outright to Louisville. Espinal will likely elect free agency. Gibaut missed most of the season with a right shoulder impingement which required surgery in August. Espinal, an All-Star for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, was an important role player for the Reds the last two seasons.

Both players elected free agency.

The Reds traded outfielder Ryan Vilade to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations. The Reds claimed Vilade on waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a good offensive season, slashing .290/.378/.511 with 29 doubles, four triples and 17 home runs with 66 RBI. He was blocked by Rece Hinds, Blake Dunn and Wil Benson.

The spots are necessary to allow the Reds’ to protect, shortstop Edwin Arroyo, outfielder Hector Rodriguez and infielder Leo Balcazar from the Rule V draft. November 18 is the deadline for that decision. 

On the coaching front, Brad Mills retired as one of Terry Francona’s two bench coaches. Mills retires after 42 seasons in professional baseball, 22 seasons as a Major League coach or manager. He had been on Francona's coaching staff for 18 seasons, including with Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Mills managed Houston from 2010-12. He played professionally from 1979-86, including parts of 4 seasons from 1980-83 with Montreal.

Mills and Francona have been friends since they were road roommates on the Arizona Wildcats baseball team. They were teammates in Montreal too.

Mills was a bench coach for Francona in Cleveland but left his staff in 2020 when Mills’ son Beau suffered the death of his son. Francona brought Mills back as his bench coach this season and shared duties with long time Reds coach Freddie Benevides.

“He knows what I’m thinking before I do,” Francona said often of Mills. 

Mike Napoli will replace Mills on the Reds’ staff. Napoli was a late addition to the Reds’ staff. Francona managed Napoli in Cleveland. Napoli was a key player on the World Series team in 2016. 

Napoli was a Major League Staff Assistant for five seasons (2020-24), Mike was a member of the Cubs major league coaching staff, the last 3 seasons as first base coach and the first 2 seasons as quality assurance coach. Napoli had a 12-year major league playing career, where he hit .246 (1,125-for-4,572) with 224 doubles, 267 homers and 744 RBI in 1,392 career games with the Angels, Rangers, Red Sox and Indians. He was named an A.L. All-Star in 2012 with the Rangers. Mike was a member of the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox and also reached the World Series with Texas in 2011 as well.             

Reds’ third base coach the last seven seasons, JR House, took a job with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Reds’ chose Willie Harris to replace House.

Harris last season was the Manager at A-Daytona. From 2021-24 he was the Chicago Cubs’ third base coach. He spent the 2020 season as Cincinnati’s minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator. From 2018-19, Harris was the manager for Class AA Richmond in the Giants’ organization. 

Harris also served as a manager during the 2019 Arizona Fall League season. He began his coaching career in 2016 as the hitting coach for Great Falls, a White Sox rookie affiliate. He spent the following season as the manager of the White Sox’ Class A affiliate in Winston-Salem. 

Harris enjoyed a 12-year Major League playing career, with stops in Baltimore, Chicago White Sox, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, NY Mets, and Cincinnati (2012). He scored the lone run in the White Sox’ World Series-clinching victory at Houston in 2005.

House also coached the Reds’ catchers.

Bill Hasselman will take over that role on the staff.

Haselman has played professional baseball or coached for 35 seasons. He has spent the last 4 seasons in Angels organization, the last 2 seasons as minor league catching coordinator and previous 2 seasons as Angels Major League third base coach in 2023 and catching coach in 2022. 

Also in 2022, he was acting manager for 2 games (0-2) against Houston and Miami while Phil Nevin was serving a suspension. From 2004-06, Bill was a member of Francona’s Red Sox coaching staff. He held various coaching positions at the Major League level with the Red Sox. 

Haselman was a 13-year Major League veteran, compiled a .259 (416/1606) lifetime average with 47 home runs and 210 RBI with the Rangers, Mariners, Red Sox and Tigers primarily as a catcher.

JR House Goes Home Reds Need New Third Base Coach

 

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

JR House is returning to the dugout but it will be the Arizona Diamondbacks’, not the Reds’.

House managed in the Diamondbacks’ minor leagues system at Double A Jackson before joining the Reds’ staff in 

House, a native of Charleston, West Virginia, spent the last seven years on the Reds’ coaching staff. He was in the Arizona player development system under Mike Bell.

Bell, who passed away from cancer in 2021, was the brother of Reds’ manager David Bell.

House carried on the role with Terry Francona this season and was invited to return. House, who turns 46 on November 11, makes his home in the Phoenix area.

“Being in Cincinnati was awesome,” House said to Arizona Republic beat writer Nick Piecoro. “Just a tremendous experience overall. I learned a lot and made a lot of lifelong friends. But at the same time, we live in Arizona. This is home.”

"It’s awesome to be able to be here with my family and just enjoy those moments and not miss nearly as many things in my kids’ lives.”

House also coached the Reds’ catchers and will continue that role in Arizona.

The Reds have options in house to fill both roles. 

Francona hired Mike Napoli as a coach with special permission from the Reds’ front office. He was a general practitioner on a staff that already had two bench coaches in Brad Mills and Freddie Benevides. Napoli was an extra hand on the staff.

The Reds could decide to move Colllin Cowgill to third base and insert Napoli at first base. Napoli caught 539 big league games in his 12-year career with the Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers. Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He played for Francona with Cleveland.

Napoli could easily replace House as the catcher’s coach.

Francona could also bring in his former third base coach in Cleveland, Mike Sarbaugh. “Sarby” as Francona calls him was the third base coach for the New York Mets since Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians brought in his own chosen staff. The Mets announced that Sarbaugh would not return for the 2026 season.

Sarbaugh, 58, was a minor league infielder for nine seasons in the Cleveland organization. He never reached the Major Leagues but was a trusted fixture in spring training developing contacts. He was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.