The Cincinnati Reds have released two more players according to the transaction log. Right-handed reliever JC Keys and outfielder Nick Plummer were released this week. There were probably more moves that were made, but for some reason the transactions are not all being pushed through. It’s the end of March and according to the logs only four minor leaguers have been released by the organization. I’ve confirmed there have been other releases, so I would expect that when rosters are announced that we’ll probably see a large number of transactions hit all at once so that teams have official roster numbers correct.
JC Keys was the Reds 23rd round draft pick out of Southern Mississippi in 2019. He pitched well after the drafted in limited action for the Greeneville Reds. He made three starts and two relief appearances, throwing 14.1 innings with a 3.77 ERA and 21 strikeouts. In 2021 he split time between High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga. He struggled to find consistency on the season and wound up with a 5.14 ERA in 56.0 innings in 25 relief appearances and six starts that saw him walk 37 batters to go with 62 strikeouts. Last season he returned to Chattanooga and posted an ERA of 6.10 in 41.1 innings where he walked 33 batters with 45 strikeouts.
Nick Plummer’s time with the Cincinnati Reds organization was short. The outfielder signed with the Reds in early February after spending the 2022 season with the New York Mets (65 games in Triple-A Syracuse and then 14 games with the big league club). In 2022 he hit .238/.330/.379 in Syracuse and then hit .138/.194/.379 with the Mets.
Plummer didn’t see much action in big league camp with the Reds this spring. He played in six games and got seven plate appearances. He took advantage of the limited time he saw, going 2-6 with a walk, scoring two runs, and driving in a run.