Rhett

Lowder

Lowder left his rehab start on May 23 with an oblique strain but needed to be moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster for Wade Miley. This means Lowder isn’t eligible to return to the Reds rotation until August at the earliest.

It’s a significant development for the top pitching prospect in Cincinnati’s organization as he was just starting to make his way back from right elbow discomfort that derailed his spring training ramp-up process. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect is going to be shut down for the next few weeks and will have to re-start his throwing program from scratch. It’s unlikely he’ll make it back to the majors until some point in the second half.

Lowder tossed a scoreless first before getting hurt on the first pitch of the second inning. The top prospect has been on the IL since the beginning of the season with elbow soreness.

Lowder struck out five over three innings of two-run ball on Tuesday in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and will make his next rehab outing against higher-level minor-league competition. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect is being brought along slowly from right elbow discomfort that derailed his spring training, but he figures to be an option for Cincinnati at some point in June.

Lowder is widely-considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball after making six starts last year for the Reds. The seventh-overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is still a couple weeks from making it back to Cincinnati as he completes his rehabilitation process from right elbow discomfort that cropped up during spring training. There’s a strong possibility he’s back in the Reds’ rotation at some point in June.

Lowder was shut down from throwing last month with right elbow soreness, so it’s an encouraging sign that he’s making progress with his throwing program. It’s possible he’ll be an option for Cincinnati at some point in late April or early May, but the organization isn’t going to rush him back.

Lowder has been limited all camp with elbow soreness, and the 23-year-old will need build back up before he can be a part of the Cincinnati rotation. He was excellent for the Reds at the end of 2024, so he’s a name to keep an eye on during his rehab.

Lowder was slowed last week by right elbow soreness at the outset of camp, so it’s extremely positive to see him able to resume throwing without any issues. The 22-year-old top pitching prospect is vying for one of the final spots in Cincinnati’s season-opening rotation and will need to impress in Cactus League outings to break camp in the majors.

Lowder has already undergone an MRI, and it revealed no structural issues. The 22-year-old right-hander is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, and was outstanding in his six starts with the Reds at the end of 2024 with a 1.17 ERA over 30 2/3 innings. It’s a situation to monitor for those who are considering a draft pick on Lowder for the 2025 campaign.

Lowder was outstanding yet again, shutting the Cubs down with five scoreless innings, scattering three hits and three walks while striking out one batter. He’d have to settle for a no-decision after the Reds went scoreless against Kyle Hendricks. The 22-year-old right hander was impressive over his first six career starts, allowing just four runs over 30 2/3 innings for a 1.17 ERA and 1.27 WHIP while striking out 22 batters.