Reds prospect reveals cinematic celebration during Spring Breakout win vs. Brewers

The second annual Spring Breakout was a success. The four-day event ended over the weekend with the Cincinnati Reds' top prospects taking the field against the Milwaukee Brewers' best young talent. In the end, Cincinnati walked away with a 9-7 victory.

There were plenty of standout performances. Reds infielder Sal Stewart went 2-for-5 with three RBI, Ethan O'Donnell had a hit and two ribbies of his own, and shortstop Leo Balcazar showed why Cincinnati's brass is so high on the emerging prospect.

However, it was the Reds' top two relief prospects who stole the show in the eighth and ninth innings. Luis Mey's electric fastball caught the attention of onlookers. His final pitch registered on the radar gun at 102 mph. But Zach Maxwell's departing gesture stole the show. "Big Sugar", as he's affectionately called, reenacted the "thumbs down" scene from the blockbuster movie "Gladiator", and social media was abuzz with excitement.

Reds prospect Zach Maxwell reveals cinematic celebration during Spring Breakout win vs. Brewers

Maxwell, following in behind Mey, induced three quick outs, including two punch outs, to seal the Reds' 9-7 win over the Brew Crew. After Brewers catcher Darrien Miller swung and missed at the final pitch of the game, Maxwell gestured toward the dugout with a thumbs up motion, but then slowly turned his hand to signal thumbs down.

This, of course, was made popular during the 2000 hit film "Gladiator" in which Joaquin Phoenix (who plays the Roman emperor in the movie) decides whether the participants in the gladiator games live or die. One can assume that this is Maxwell's way of telling the opposing batters, "You're finished."

Maxwell has already been reassigned to minor-league camp, so his hopes of making the Reds Opening Day roster have already expired. But his repertoire is certainly MLB-ready, and if Maxwell can show good command and control during the first month-plus of the minor-league season, the hard-throwing right-hander is sure to make his major league debut sometime before the All-Star break.

One can assume that the "thumbs down" gesture will become sort of calling card for Maxwell this season, but he's hoping to see a "thumbs up" from the Reds front office shortly after the 2025 season gets underway.

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