Fewer than 24 hours after Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson broke his thumb last June, he jogged onto the field at Busch Stadium for pregame warmups.
Stephenson knew he was going to be out for at least a month, but he wanted to do something. So he caught double play flips from the Reds' shortstops. When the Reds’ trainers noticed what was happening, they sprinted out to second base to stop it.
Before last year, Stephenson had never broken any bones. Then in 2022, he broke a thumb and his clavicle as he missed most of the season. He learned the importance of having the right mentality when you rehab. He learned about different types of catchers’ masks and chest protectors. He learned a single muscle spasm could turn a shoulder injury into something that needs surgery.
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The 2022 Reds season tested Stephenson. His likely All-Star year was sidelined. He’s fully healthy now. He’s determined to show the Reds and the rest of MLB why he should stay a catcher.
“Whatever I have to do to stay on the field, I’ll do it,” Stephenson said. “If changes need to be made, I’ll do it. I had to make sure I’d come back and it wouldn’t dictate my career. I’ll be the same player I was, if not even better. And I’ll be a catcher.”
When he was healthy last season, Stephenson was a top-10 catcher in MLB. His teammates were pushing for him to make the All-Star Game. He hit .319 in 183 plate appearances, and the Reds had a 22-24 record when Stephenson was in the lineup.
But he spent two weeks in concussion protocol early in the season and missed most of the 3-22 start. Then he missed a month with a broken thumb. He broke his clavicle when he was hit by a foul tip in late July. On the night of the injury, Stephenson spent a minute doing everything in his power to fight off a sneeze, because when he did sneeze, he felt a sharp pain.
“It was terrible to see,” Reds catching coach J.R. House said. “We hope he’s less of a ball magnet this year.”
Stephenson got better. He was able to lie down, and he started moving around more. Then one night about a week after the initial injury, that pain flared up again in his shoulder. He’s still not sure what happened, but a simple muscle spasm could have been the trigger that shifted the fracture in his shoulder.
After the fracture shifted, Stephenson needed surgery. His wife stopped working so she could spend more time with him. Stephenson knew he had a long journey ahead of him to get back on the field.
"It’s easy to go down that dark path going through rehab and feel loneliness when the team is on the road," Stephenson said.
Stephenson’s road back started with getting his range of motion back in his right shoulder. Every time he saw Reds manager David Bell, Stephenson made a point to show him how much higher he could raise his arm.
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Stephenson went through the rehab process with Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who had an even more significant surgery on his rotator cuff and biceps. Watching Votto’s rehab was another reminder of the work that Stephenson had ahead of him.
“I wanted to make sure I maintained the strength that I had before,” Stephenson said. “There’s extra time in the weight room. I’m sure Joey would say the same thing. You’ve got to take rehab seriously. Your mindset and what you think will dictate what you get on the other side. If you don’t take it seriously, the results are going to show.”
Stephenson reported early to camp early this spring. He brought with him a new, thicker chest protector and a new catching stance. He now exclusively catches off of one knee, abandoning the more traditional catcher's squat. He’s doing this for the same reason he’s using a stronger chest protector. Stephenson sees the new approach behind the plate as a way to limit the wear and tear on his body.
Stephenson impressed his teammates with his character and pedigree as a rookie. He was blowing bubbles in the batter’s box and smiling in some of the first big at-bats of his career.
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Now, his teammates have picked up on another degree of confidence from Stephenson.
“He’s the captain,” Reds third baseman Spencer Steer said. “He’s also a young stud. We saw flashes of what’s to come with him. You hear about what he has done and know how good he can be. He’ll continue to move this team forward. I heard his comments about shocking some people and using the doubt to fuel us forward. That’s a small glimpse of how good he is as a leader.”
The Reds drafted Stephenson in 2015, and he’s one of the longest-tenured players on the big league roster. But he’s still only 26. He still hasn’t even had a full MLB season as a starter on the Reds.
As the Reds work through a rebuild and build around a young core at the MLB level, his role in the organization’s future is as clear as anyone’s.
“He’s a leader on this team,” Reds second baseman Jonathan India said. “He’s an incredible part of this team. He does everything right, and he wants to win. I’m excited to be with him on the field this year and lead this team to victory.”
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