Frankie Montas trade could hasten this Reds prospect's ascent the major leagues

While there was rampant speculation around the All-Star break that the Cincinnati Reds first-round pick Chase Burns could be fast-tracked to the major leagues, that seems unlikely. Even with a vacancy in the rotation, Reds fans should not expect to see Burns to the big leagues anytime soon.

The Reds traded Opening Day starter Frankie Montas to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, effectively opening a spot in the rotation. On Tuesday night, the Reds went reliever-heavy, with Nick Martinez logging the bulk of the innings.

But will Martinez re-enter the rotation? That seems unwise given his track record as a starter and the success he's enjoyed coming out of the bullpen. Instead, the Cincinnati could turn to another former first-round pick. Will Rhett Lowder get a shot to join the Reds rotation?

Frankie Montas trade could hasten this Reds prospect Rhett Lowder's ascent the major leagues

The Reds could certainly fast-track Lowder to the big leagues. While Lowder has yet to pitch in Triple-A, that didn't stop Cincinnati from calling up Carson Spiers last year, did it? Lowder has spent all but five starts at Double-A Chattanooga.

Though Lowder's introduction to the jump in competition saw the right-hander endure a few tough outings, he's been on fire since the calendar flipped to July. In his last four starts, Lowder is 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched.

While the Reds could go that route, or perhaps call upon Chase Petty who's also pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts, the more likely scenario would be Cincinnati turning to Julian Aguiar. The right-hander handled his business at Double-A and was added to the Triple-A roster in late-June. In six starts for the Louisville Bats, Aguiar is 3-1 with a 3.48 ERA.

Obviously, the best case scenario for the Reds would be the return of Brandon Williamson, but the left-hander is still on the 60-day IL and the earliest date he could return is sometime in September.

Without calling up one of their top prospects, Cincinnati could be left with sending out both Martinez and perhaps Lyon Richardson as a 1-2 combination. Reds manager David Bell can wait until next week's series in Miami before making the decision, but it would seem those are the options facing Cincinnati at the moment.

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