“Every guy in there is very capable of doing his job very, very well,” catcher Jose Trevino said.
Behind Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Brady Singer, the Reds have a talented group of pitchers who were top prospects and have shown that they can have success at the big league level.
Burns, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, made his debut last summer and wowed the Reds with his elite stuff. As a way to manage his innings, the team shifted him to the bullpen in September. Burns showcased his talent again and got huge outs for the Reds as they earned a spot in the playoffs.
Burns pitched in 13 games, including eight starts, in 2025. He posted a 4.57 ERA, but that included a lot of statistical bad luck that inflated his end-of-season statistics. The underlying metrics were terrific as he posted elite chase, whiff and strikeout rates.
His 100+ mph and wipeout slider make Burns one of the most talented young pitchers in the game.
“He’s electric,” Lodolo said. “He’s so young. He has a ton to learn, as we all do. Once he figures out that stuff, too, it’s going to be something really special. I’m excited for him to get a whole year going at it now.”
Lowder missed all of 2025 with elbow and oblique injuries. But he’s another recent top-10 pick in the draft, and he has a 1.17 ERA in the big leagues. He was the Reds’ best starter to close the 2024 season, and he’s fully healthy again entering 2026.
Lowder’s strength is his command and his confidence in four pitches. He doesn’t have elite velocity, but he uses his pitches very well.
“I’m excited to just get on the field and play baseball again,” Lowder said. “Sitting in Arizona all year last year really changed your perspective. It’s just fun to play.”
Williamson was the Reds’ most consistent pitcher in 2023. But then he missed most of 2024 with a shoulder injury and all of 2025 after having all of Tommy John surgery.
He’s a completely different type of pitcher than he was two years ago. Instead of having to force soft contact with a cutter-slider combo, he can tap into more velocity, a sharper fastball and a deceptive curveball to generate more swing and miss.
The results have been impressive during this early stage of camp, but he’s still getting important reps after missing nearly two fulls years.
Prospect Julian Aguiar, who ended the 2024 season in the Reds’ big league rotation, also had Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2025. He’s also in the mix.
“It’s good that they had the surgery, so he’s roughly 18 months off,” president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. “Making sure they had a healthy and normal offseason was a big thing for him. They look good and they’re ready to go.”
REDS SPRING TRAINING COVERAGE
Contributing writer Charlie Goldsmith will be filing regular reports from Cincinnati Reds camp throughout MLB Spring Training. Check back all spring for complete Reds coverage.
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