Rhett

Lowder

There probably isn’t any way to get both Lowder and Chase Burns into the Reds rotation unless someone gets hurt, and the team might prefer it that way anyway, since it’s unlikely that either will be allowed to top 150 innings this year. Still, whichever one that gets cut might qualify as the best pitcher not currently in an MLB rotation at spring’s end.

Burns went without allowing a run, but Lowder was the more impressive of the two today, allowing just one hard-hit ball and producing a 46% CSW. Those two are the favorites to open up as the Reds’ fifth starter this season. It’ll be hard for some to imagine the Reds leaving Burns out of the rotation after all the potential he displayed last year, but Lowder is plenty intriguing, too, and might win the job initially.

Lowder has looked extremely sharp this fall, striking out six batters over six innings across three starts after being limited to just five minor-league outings this past season due to elbow discomfort and an oblique strain. The 23-year-old right-hander — a former top pitching prospect and the seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft — made six strong starts for Cincinnati back in 2024. He averaged 93.6 mph on his sinker in this latest AFL appearance while building up to 46 pitches. He’s expected to compete for a rotation spot in spring training and profiles as an intriguing late-round sleeper in fantasy drafts.

Lowder averaged a crisp 94.4 mph on his four-seam fastball and finished with a pair of strikeouts in his second AFL start. Perhaps the most encouraging sign is that his trademark control remains intact following a lost season due to injury. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, was limited to just five minor league starts this past season due to elbow discomfort and an oblique strain. He figures to be in the mix next spring for a spot in the Reds’ season-opening rotation, especially since he’s looked healthy while making up for lost development time in the fall prospect showcase.

Lowder was not activated from the injured list earlier this week. It seems to have been an error since the move has since disappeared from the league’s official transactions page. The 23-year-old top prospect was scratched from last Friday’s rehab start for Triple-A Louisville due to a shoulder issue and underwent an MRI that didn’t reveal any structural damage. He figures to be ready for next spring, but is unlikely to be an option for Cincinnati in the playoffs, should they get there.

Lowder has been out all season recovering from elbow discomfort and an oblique strain. The 23-year-old prospect, who was selected seventh overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, is unlikely to contribute for Cincinnati this season (or postseason), but he appears on track to be a full-go for spring training.

Lowder left his rehab start on May 23 with an oblique strain but needed to be moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster for Wade Miley. This means Lowder isn’t eligible to return to the Reds rotation until August at the earliest.

It’s a significant development for the top pitching prospect in Cincinnati’s organization as he was just starting to make his way back from right elbow discomfort that derailed his spring training ramp-up process. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect is going to be shut down for the next few weeks and will have to re-start his throwing program from scratch. It’s unlikely he’ll make it back to the majors until some point in the second half.

Lowder tossed a scoreless first before getting hurt on the first pitch of the second inning. The top prospect has been on the IL since the beginning of the season with elbow soreness.

Lowder struck out five over three innings of two-run ball on Tuesday in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and will make his next rehab outing against higher-level minor-league competition. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect is being brought along slowly from right elbow discomfort that derailed his spring training, but he figures to be an option for Cincinnati at some point in June.