Red Reposter - Cam Collier, Rhett Lowder to rep Reds in MLB Futures Game

Tuesday links!

There have been flashes of brilliance from both Cam Collier and Rhett Lowder so far in 2024, the respective 1st round draftees by the Cincinnati Reds from 2022 and 2023. Collier burst out of the gate with a 1.061 OPS, 6 homers, and 18 ribbies through the first 13 games with High-A Dayton in April, while Lowder’s first 4 starts as a pro saw him post a 20/6 K/BB in 19.1 IP with a 1.86 ERA and just .524 OPS against.

Things got bumpier for both since then. In 57 G (240 PA) since his homer on April 20th, Collier owns just a .649 OPS. Still, he’s the third youngest player in the Midwest League and sits tied for 3rd in the pitcher-friendly league with 13 homers, and that’s good enough production paired with his draft status (and prospect rankings) to earn him a chance to represent the Reds at this summer’s MLB Futures Game.

Lowder, who has been rocked for 29 ER in 39.0 IP across 9 GS since being promoted to AA Chattanooga, will join him. As is the case with Collier, however, Lowder’s one of the most inexperienced players in the entire Southern League, the Reds choosing to challenge the 22 year old with aggressive promotion with less emphasis placed on his numbers than his progression.

Congrats to both on the chance to play on their biggest stage yet.

In other Reds news, the team annouced that Tyler Stephenson has been activated from the Family Medical Emergency List, and he’ll return to the lineup for tonight’s series opener in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. In a corresponding move, poor Austin Wynns was designated for assignment for the second time in nine days.

We’ll see if a) he clears waivers again and b) actually sticks with the club at Louisville again if so.

Speaking of recently DFA’d catchers with Reds connections, old friend Tucker Barnhart was DFA’d by the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday. It will be interesting to see where those two end up since they’ll be in catching depth waiver claim limbo together at the same time.

Finally, Jonathan India was named National League Player of the Week after he doubled, doubled, and doubled some more. It’s great to see India both healthy and raking again, and at .381 his season OBP now ranks as the 12th best among all qualified hitters in the game.