Reds pitching prospect set to make MLB debut

The Reds announced that pitching prospect Levi Stoudt has been added to their taxi squad and is scheduled to start Wednesday’s game, which will be his major league debut. Additionally, the club reinstated right-hander Lucas Sims from the injured list and optioned fellow righty Kevin Herget to Triple-A. Stoudt already has a 40-man roster spot, but a corresponding move will be required to get him on the active roster.

Stoudt, 25, came over to the Reds in the trade that sent Luis Castillo to the Mariners. He was selected by the latter club in the third round of the 2019 draft, then had Tommy John surgery shortly after, with his rehab coinciding with the minor leagues being canceled by the pandemic in 2020. Despite not yet making his professional debut, Baseball America considered him to be Seattle’s No. 12 prospect going into 2021. He was able to return to the mound that year, making 15 starts between High-A and Double-A, posting a 3.31 ERA in that time along with a 25.5% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate.

He was bumped up to the No. 8 spot on BA’s ranking of Mariner prospects for 2022, but that would end up being a tumultuous season for him. He had a 5.28 ERA through 18 Double-A starts. He dropped his walk rate to 5.9%, but he also allowed 13 home runs in 87 innings. Nonetheless, the Reds still liked him enough to make him one of the four prospects they acquired in the Castillo deal. He finished strong after the trade, tossing five scoreless innings in a Double-A start before getting bumped to Triple-A for his final six starts, registering a 3.32 ERA in that time. BA ranked him No. 16 in the Reds system coming into 2023.

Stoudt would have been Rule 5 eligible this past December, but the Reds added him to their roster to prevent him from being selected. He’s made three more Triple-A starts in the early going here with a 4.09 ERA, though an 18% walk rate, .185 batting average on balls in play and 94.2% strand rate suggest he probably deserved worse. Regardless, it’s a small sample, and the club has decided he’s ready to try the big leagues.

It seems like Stoudt will be the replacement for Connor Overton, who was placed on the injured list over the weekend. Stoudt will slot in to the club’s rotation alongside Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft and Luis Cessa for now. Luke Weaver has been on a rehab assignment after starting the season on the injured list and seemed in line to jump to the big leagues this week, though it’s unclear why Stoudt is now taking the spot instead.