Reds' trade flop could become another Rays success story

Former Cincinnati Reds prospect Levi Stoudt, who was part of the Luis Castillo trade in 2022, has an opportunity to reinvent himself after agreeing to a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Reds received what many considered to be a "haul" at the trade deadline in 2022 when they dealt Castillo to the Seattle Mariners. In exchange for their ace, Cincinnati received three of Seattle's top-5 organizationals prospects, and a high-upside pitching prospect who was just getting his feet wet in the minor leagues.

More than four years have passed since the Reds' deadline deal with the Mariners, and neither team can really feel good about the trade. The Mariners squandered multiple…