By KDA Sports| 03/30/2025
The Cincinnati Reds entered spring training knowing that rookie right-hander Rhett Lowder wouldn’t be ready to go right away. In January, he experienced elbow discomfort after bullpen sessions, as his recovery wasn’t progressing as expected. Although an MRI showed no structural damage, the 2023 first-round draft pick needed time to rehab and rebuild his strength. Throughout spring training, he never reached the point of being game-ready. However, this week, he took a significant step forward. According to Jim Day’s report during Saturday’s broadcast, Lowder is now back to throwing off a mound.
While this is a positive development, it’s important to temper expectations. If Lowder follows a typical spring training buildup, he still has a long road ahead before he’s ready to pitch in a big-league game. Most starters arrive at spring training having already thrown off the mound, yet they still require five to six weeks to stretch out for full workloads. Given that Lowder is just now reaching that initial stage, it could be a while before he’s ready to contribute to the Reds’ rotation.
There is, however, some good news beyond Lowder’s progress. Left-hander Andrew Abbott, who also dealt with an injury this spring, is nearing his return. Although Abbott pushed to be ready for Opening Day, he ultimately needed more time to build up. In the meantime, Carson Spiers is set to take the fifth spot in the rotation next week. On Thursday, Abbott pitched in a minor league game in Arizona, throwing five innings. He has since returned to Cincinnati.
Abbott was placed on the injured list on March 24, making him eligible to return as soon as April 8. There’s a chance he could make a rehab start before then. Since Triple-A Louisville is the only Reds affiliate currently playing, he may pitch there during their upcoming series in Omaha. If he threw last Thursday, Tuesday would align with a typical five-man rotation schedule, making Louisville the most likely landing spot for a rehab assignment.
Triple-A Action: Mey Brings the Heat
With the Triple-A season underway, the Louisville Bats have started strong, winning their first two games. On Saturday, they defeated the Memphis Redbirds 4-1, with Luis Mey making his Triple-A debut in dominant fashion. He pitched a perfect seventh inning, needing just 10 pitches—seven of them strikes.
Mey primarily relied on his fastball, throwing nine of them, with one slider mixed in at 88 MPH. But the real story was his velocity. His slowest fastball registered at 100.1 MPH, while his fastest—a 102.5 MPH sinker—was hit by former Reds shortstop José Barrero for a routine popout to second base.
Mey’s velocity isn’t just impressive—it’s unique. Baseball America recently released a list of all 90 minor league pitchers who hit 100 MPH in 2024, noting their max velocities and pitch types. Mey topped out at 103.0 MPH, ranking sixth on the list. However, what sets him apart is that all five pitchers ahead of him threw four-seam fastballs. Mey, on the other hand, is generating this velocity with a sinker. The next closest sinker to his 103.0 MPH came in at just 101.1 MPH, and that wasn’t even thrown by him. Simply put, Mey is delivering an elite level of velocity on a pitch type rarely seen at such speeds.
