This Reds prospect makes dealing relievers at the trade deadline easier to swallow

The Cincinnati Reds were swept by the Washington Nationals coming out of the All Star break and now sit 47-53 on the year — currently in last place in the NL Central. Despite only being four games out of the NL Wild Card race, the Reds could be sellers at the MLB trade deadline.

Cincy has a number of pitchers that contending teams are rumored to be interested in. Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez are reportedly on that list. Relief pitchers like Lucas Sims, Buck Farmer, Justin Wilson, and Fernando Cruz may all be available as well. But with the likes of a talented prospect like Zach Maxwell waiting in the wings, the Reds could actually sell while remaining in contention for a playoff spot.

Maxwell, a sixth-round draft pick out of Georgia Tech in 2022, has dazzled in 2024 between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. The right-handed reliever is 5-0 with a 2.51 ERA over 32.1 innings this season.

Reds prospect Zach Maxwell could easily replace any reliever who might be dealt at the MLB trade deadline

Maxwell is striking out batters at an impressive clip (15.6 K/9). According to MLB Pipeline, Maxwell ranks among the Reds' top-30 prospects, and appears ready to make his big league debut if one of the aforementioned relievers is dealt.

The 6-foot-6 Maxwell features a nearly triple-digit fastball with a good breaking ball that together form a lethal combination. While Maxwell does have some issues with control and a high walk rate (16.8 %), he has the potential to be a talented arm coming out of the backend of the Reds’ bullpen.

Sims, Wilson, and Cruz have all struggled at times in 2024. Trading one or two of those relievers and replacing them with Maxwell could ultimately improve the bullpen’s performance while adding pieces in a trade.

The emergence of Maxwell will make the potential loss of any Reds' reliever at the MLB trade deadline easier to swallow. Even if no one is dealt before July 30th, Maxwell will find his way to the majors later this season.

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