The Reds announced Friday that they chose a right-handed contract Zach Maxwell From Triple-A Louisville. Correct Ian GibautSince setting off due to a shoulder impact in late June, he has been transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL, creating space in a 40-man lineup.
Maxwell, 24, was in 2022 when Cincinnati won a sixth round pick from Georgia Tech. On Baseball USA and MLB.com, in the post-draft update, the 6’6-inch, 275-pound right-hand in the REDS prospect ranks 24th. He has spent the entire season in Triple-A so far, throwing 49 2/3 innings from the bullpen and recording an average run of 4.17. According to those scout reports, Maxwell has the fastball and slider/cutter plus, Baseball America noted that when his orders were called, he could “look unpopular.”
However, this is a prominent warning. Maxwell had a poor commander and dated back to his college career in the walking era when he occupied 20.6% of his opponents in the two years before being selected. He cuts down on that, but he still gets free passes for 14.5% of Louisville’s rivals this year.
Maxwell could miss the little guy’s bat, as a huge right would expect, climbing to 102 mph (thanks to the extension he can get on the 6’6-inch frame, even faster or even faster against opponents). If he can continue to earn progressive rates with his commands – he will scale from 16% walking rate in 24 years to 14.5% mark this year – he has powerful late bullpen weapons. This is the right skill with another towering red, 6’5″ Louis Mayalthough Mey uses sinker as his main product, not four. Mey/Maxwell pairing can be fatal at the end of Reds Games, but both require their commands to be raised to reach the ceiling. Messi was selected as Louisville last night, with Maxwell occupying the active roster.
Maxwell will audition in the future bullpen for the last five weeks of the season (and, of course, also trying to help push the team into the playoffs). Emilio Pagan is a free agent at the end of the season, and other veterans like it Scott Barlow and Brent Suter Both have club options. Given his Cincinnati roots and the option’s affordable price of $2.75mm, although the latter will likely come back, the former seems unlikely to be picked up. Either way, there are some potential vacancy in the 2026 pen, and some of the group’s young weapons can claim.
