Cincinnati Reds: Three up and three down from the final week of camp

Three down from the final week of Reds summer camp

1) Nick Lodolo was roughed up on Tuesday night.

Last year’s first-round pick needs a bit more seasoning. Nick Lodolo, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, gave up back-to-back-to-back home runs during Cincinnati’s 9-7 victory over Detroit on Tuesday night. The start was Lodolo’s first start against major league-level competition.

With the minor league season cancelled, Lodolo, along with fellow minor leaguers Tyler Stephenson, José García and Tony Santillan, were added to Cincinnati’s 60-man player pool. Lodolo finished the game going just 1.1 innings, allowed eight hits and five earned runs.

2) Mark Payton returned to the Oakland Athletics.

As we mentioned earlier, Mark Payton was returned to the Oakland A’s after David Bell and his staff decided they’d prefer to keep Travis Jankowski as the team’s sixth outfielder. Jankowski joins Nick Castellanos, Nick Senzel, Shogo Akiyama, Jesse Winker and Phillip Ervin.

Payton was a Rule 5 Draft pick up back in December who looked the part of a potential major leaguer. in fact, he the Reds front office not added Castellanos and Akiyama this winter, the former New York Yankees prospect may have made the squad. The A’s added Payton to their 60-man player pool on Tuesday.

3) Derek Dietrich released.

The Cincinnati Reds and utility player Derek Dietrich mutually agreed to part ways earlier this week. Dietrich, who took Reds Country by storm last spring, asked for and was granted his release. By exercising his opt-out clause, Dietrich is not able to re-sign with the Reds this season.

Dietrich will long be remembered for hitting a three-run pinch hit home run during last year’s Opening Day against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dietrich was a constant thorn in the side of Pirates pitching, hitting .316/.366/.921 with seven homers and 15 RBIs against the Buccos last season.