Reds sign Bleday to 1-year deal reportedly worth $1.4M

The Cincinnati Reds added some depth to their outfield by signing JJ Bleday to a one-year contract, the team announced Saturday.

Bleday's deal will pay him a base salary of $1.4 million and also includes incentives, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

To make room for Bleday on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati designated right-hander Keegan Thompson for assignment.

Bleday was designated for assignment and then non-tendered by the Athletics in November following a difficult 2025 season. The 28-year-old took a big step back offensively, hitting .212/.294/.404 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs over 98 games with the A's, and was twice optioned to Triple-A.

However, he's also just one year removed from a breakout 2024 campaign that saw him slash .243/.324/.437 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs. Bleday's bat also improved during the second half of 2025, as his .801 OPS after the All-Star break was over 100 points higher than his first-half total. Cincinnati's undoubtedly hoping that a move to cozy Great American Ball Park can help him rediscover that form.

Bleday joins TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte, Will Benson, Tyler Callihan, Gavin Lux, and Spencer Steer as potential outfield options for manager Terry Francona. He also offers some versatility, having experience manning all three outfield spots in the majors. Bleday's arm is his biggest defensive asset, as he ranked in the 81st percentile of arm strength last season.

Originally drafted fourth overall by Miami out of Vanderbilt in 2019, Bleday is a lifetime .215/.307/.394 hitter with 49 homers, 142 RBIs, and 12 steals across 404 big-league games with the A's and Marlins.