Perplexing Reds prospect picks up where he left off after another extended IL stint

Tyler Callihan has been one of the most frustrating Reds prospects to watch over the years. Always lauded for his ability inside the batters' box, a lack of power and constant injuries have always dogged the young prospect throughout his professional career.

But when he's on his game, the former third-round pick has always shown a tremendous ability to make contact. Taken in the same draft class as Cincinnati Reds rookie Rece Hinds, Callihan has struggled to stay on the field.

The injury bug reared its ugly head once again this season. While beginning to heat up at the tailend of May, Callihan landed on the seven-day injured list on June 4th. After over two months on IL, Callihan returned to the Chattanooga Lookouts on Thursday night and picked up where he left off.

Perplexing Reds prospect, Tyler Callihan, picks up where he left off after extended IL stint

On the season, Callihan has hit .241/.318/.388 at Double-A Chattanooga. But in the nine games leading up to his placement on the IL, Callihan began to catch fire. During that stretch, the 24-year-old was hitting .344/.405/.500 with three extra-base hits and four RBI.

Callihan, back in a Lookouts uniform on Thursday, went 3-for-4 in five plate appearances with an RBI, a walk, and stolen base. An infielder by trade, Callihan was getting reps in left field, which was only his seven start on the outfield grass this season.

Tommy John surgery in 2020 wiped out two year's worth of playing time for Callihan. He made a return to the field in 2022 and finally started to live up to some of the hype in 2023. in 22 games with the Lookouts last season, Callihan posted a .310/.396/.460 slash line.

Now fully recovered from surgery, it appears that the Reds are focused on stretching Callihan's defensive acumen by moving him around to both left field and second base. Callihan is once again eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter, and will be an interesting prospect to follow over the final few weeks of the 2024 season.

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