No. 34 overall prospect Lowder called up for MLB debut

CINCINNATI -- Reds starting pitching prospect Rhett Lowder's development has zoomed along the express lane through three Minor League levels in his lone professional season.

On Friday, it will culminate with Lowder's Major League debut in Cincinnati. The organization's No. 2 prospect was added to the taxi squad on Thursday and is expected to start Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader vs. the Brewers at Great American Ball Park, the club announced. Cincinnati selected the contract of lefty Brandon Leibrandt from Triple-A Louisville and designated righty Casey Kelly for assignment in corresponding moves.

Lowder, 22, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest, and was the second pitcher taken after the Pirates selected Paul Skenes first overall. However, he did not pitch in the Reds' system last season because he had already reached his innings limit in college.

Once Lowder makes his first appearance, five of the top seven picks of the 2023 Draft will have made their MLB debut: Skenes (No. 1 pick), Dylan Crews (No. 2), Wyatt Langford (No. 4), Jacob Wilson (No. 6) and Lowder. According to Elias Sports Bureau, this will be the first time that at least five of the first seven picks of a MLB Draft made their MLB debut either the year they were drafted or the following year, since the Draft began in 1965.

Now ranked as MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 34 overall prospect, Lowder has a 3.64 ERA with a combined 113 strikeouts and 24 walks over 108 2/3 innings in 22 Minor League games. He features a fastball that sits in the 92-95 mph range and tops out at 97, as well as a changeup and slider that have earned high marks.

Lowder was in Reds big league Spring Training camp as a non-roster invite before beginning his pro career at High-A Dayton, where he had a 2.84 ERA in five starts. At Double-A Chattanooga, there were several rough initial outings as he posted a 4.31 ERA over 16 starts.

But over his final five Double-A starts, Lowder went 3-0 with a 0.62 ERA with seven walks and 27 strikeouts over 29 innings.

Lowder's stay at Triple-A Louisville lasted just one start on Aug. 22 vs. Gwinnett. He pitched six scoreless innings with three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.

The decision to promote Lowder comes as the struggling Reds have been strapped for healthy starting pitching as they've fallen back in the National League Wild Card standings. Entering Wednesday, Cincinnati was 63-69 and nine games back from the final postseason spot.

Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott were all recently placed on the injured list, while Graham Ashcraft and Brandon Williamson are also among the Cincinnati starters on the IL. Furthering the depth issue: Veteran Frankie Montas was traded to the Brewers on July 30.

What makes the promotion a little surprising is not that it starts the service time clock toward Lowder's eligibility for arbitration and free agency. It's that the Reds are giving him a 40-man roster spot long before they would've needed to.

Under the rules, Lowder did not need to be protected from being taken in the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Giving him a spot now when the team is already falling out of contention means there will be one fewer player in the organization who can be protected on the 40-man roster over the offseason.

That issue clearly took a backseat compared to having a quality pitcher in the rotation who can give the Reds their best chance to win in the present.