This low risk Reds extension could age beautifully

It's contract extension season throughout Major League Baseball. While most Cincinnati Reds fans would probably advocate to see a player like Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott, or Chase Burns receive a long-term deal, Rhett Lowder could be a sneaky player to keep an eye on.

Lowder is currently locked in a battle with Burns for the final spot in the Reds' Opening Day rotation. Regardless of who emerges victorious, both pitchers are expected to play a significant role in the team's success during the 2026 season and beyond. Getting one of the two hurlers under a long-term contract should be atop Nick Krall's checklist this spring, and Lowder may be the easier (and cheaper) of the two to sign.

The Reds should offer Rhett Lowder a contract extension

Extending Lowder after just six Major League starts and an injury-plagued 2025 season would be unconventional to say the least. But based on his initial body of work and long-term projection, signing him to a strategic deal makes a lot of sense.

Lowder gained a year of MLB service time last season despite being on the injured list. Much like Matt McLain in 2024, Lowder's time on the IL counts toward his arbitration window and free agency. As such, Lowder is scheduled to reach Year 1 of arbitration in 2028 and will be a free agent after the 2030 season.

So while there's no urgency to sign Lowder to a long-term contract, the sooner these things get done, the cheaper they are. The Reds inked Hunter Greene to a six-year, $53 million deal back in 2023 and that looks like a veritable bargain at the moment. Cincinnati could probably sign Lowder for something eerily similar and save themselves a lot of headaches (and dollars) in the future.

Aside from Greene, the Reds have failed to sign any of their young talent to long-term extensions. De La Cruz and Matt McLain turned down contract offers from the Reds in the past, and Cincinnati's young core isn't getting any younger.

Lowder was the Reds first-round draft pick in 2023 and debuted just over a year later after making quick work of the opposition in the minor leagues. Lowder went 2-2 in six starts during the 2024 season and posted a ridiculous 1.17 ERA to go along with 22 punch outs over 30⅔ innings of work.

Though Lowder was out all of last season due to injury, his repertoire doesn't necessarily scream injury-risk. Unlike Burns and Greene, Lowder not going to touch triple digits on the radar gun. He uses a four-pitch mix, proper sequencing, and pinpoint accuracy to get the opposition to swing and miss.

Reds fans would love to see one of their young stars sign a long-term deal this spring. Typically these types of negotiations can bleed into the first few weeks of the regular season. But once the calendar flips to May, contract extension season is over. Fans are hopeful that Lowder or another budding stars signs up for the long haul at some point in the coming weeks.