Report: Candelario agrees to 3-year, $45M deal with Reds

The Cincinnati Reds and free-agent third baseman Jeimer Candelario are in agreement on a three-year, $45-million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The deal includes a club option for 2027.

Candelario heads to a youthful Reds team that bolstered its offense after signing Nick Martinez and Emilio Pagán to aid its pitching staff earlier in the offseason.

A 30-year-old switch-hitter, Candelario will stay in the NL Central after finishing 2023 with the Chicago Cubs. Candelario posted a .251/.336/.471 slash line with 22 home runs and 39 doubles last season, splitting the campaign between the Washington Nationals and Cubs.

Candelario has played primarily at third base throughout his career but is expected to also get reps at first base and designated hitter, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

The Reds, who possess young talent throughout their lineup, went 82-80 last season and finished third in their division. They scored the ninth-most runs across MLB.

Candelario was widely viewed as one of the top corner infielders on the free-agent market. The veteran made his debut with the Cubs in 2016 and played for the Detroit Tigers from 2017-22 before going to the Nats and returning to the Cubs in 2023.