There have been some positives on the Cincinnati Reds farm system this year – even from the pitching side of things. But those positives have not come from any of the organization’s top pitching prospects.
Rhett Lowder began the season in High-A Dayton and despite a hiccup in one of his five starts there, he posted a 2.49 ERA and got promoted to Double-A. Things couldn’t have gone worse for the #7 overall pick and top Reds pitching prospect since his arrival in Chattanooga. He’s made three starts and given up 15 runs on 20 hits, a hit batter, and four walks in 11.1 innings. His ERA with the Lookouts sits at 11.91 and it’s bumped his season ERA through eight starts to 5.40.
Connor Phillips, who entered the season as the Reds 4th overall prospect and a top 100 prospect in baseball, headed back to Louisville after pitching in 11 games for the Bats last season (and making five starts for Cincinnati at the end of the year). Through nine starts his ERA is 8.53 and he’s got a WHIP of 2.11 thanks to 47 hits and 33 walks – and his WHIP doesn’t account for another five hit batters -in his 38.0 innings pitched.
The Reds 6th rated prospect, Chase Petty – who dominated last year while being cautiously utilized after an elbow injury in the spring – has had an up-and-down season so far. His April was downright terrible as he posted a 9.56 ERA in four starts. Things were looking up in May through his first four starts as he posted a 1.80 ERA in them, but last night in Chattanooga he managed to record just one out and was charged with four earned runs and two unearned runs. His ERA is at 6.19 through nine outings and he’s already given up 12 more earned runs this season than he did last season despite pitching 28 fewer innings.
Ty Floyd, who was the 38th overall draft pick last summer, entered the year as the club’s 14th rated prospect and 4th rated pitching prospect, is out for the year after having shoulder surgery.
Lyon Richardson is the team’s 5th rated pitching prospect and the 17th overall prospect in the organization entering the season, is coming off of a season where he pitched in A-ball, Double-A, Triple-A, and the big leagues. He found success in the minor leagues until he reached Triple-A and the big leagues down the stretch. Back in Triple-A this season he’s kept his ERA low by comparison to the rest of the group – he’s rocking a 3.98 ERA through 10 starts. But he’s been walking a fine line nearly every time out. In his 40.2 innings he’s walked 30 batters and hit three more while giving up 38 hits along the way. Keeping the ball in the park has helped as he’s given up just two home runs this season.
To say that it’s been rough go on the mound to begin the season for the top five pitching prospects in the organization would be a huge understatement. It’s still May, so there’s plenty of time in the season for four of those guys to get things turned around, but as of today the results have been worrisome.