Surging Reds prospect suddenly making a September call-up feel very realistic

After a season and a half as a high-leverage reliever in Triple-A, Zach Maxwell is forcing the Cincinnati Reds to take notice. He has long been seen as a potential big-league closer but has struggled with a high walk rate. This season, though, has seen him unleash his potential and climb into the conversation about September call-ups.

Maxwell, known as Big Sugar, has a plus-fastball and plus-slider that blow away opposing batters. Unfortunately, the power stuff hasn’t always landed in the zone, resulting in a walk rate that climbed to 16.2% in his first taste of Triple-A in 2024.

In his second go-round, Maxwell has cut that rate down to 14.9% (still not ideal for a closer) and done a better job of limiting damage when batters do reach base, increasing his left on base rate by 8.3%. For a Reds bullpen that may still feel the sting of two blown leads against the Brewers, a spoonful of Big Sugar may be exactly what the group needs.

Reds prospect Zach Maxwell could have a huge impact on the bullpen with a September call-up

If Maxwell makes it to the bigs, Reds fans will be treated to some of the nastiest stuff in baseball. His fastball has a spin rate that rivals Chase Burns’ and averages 98.4 mph. The heater, which is Maxwell’s primary pitch, has yielded just a 32.7% hard-hit rate this year. The slider is just as devastating with a 35.1% whiff rate.

Maxwell still has a few tweaks to make — such as attacking hitters with first-pitch strikes — in order to become a dominant closer, but getting some big-league innings under his belt while the Reds still have Emilio Pagán and other vets in high-leverage roles may be enough for Cincinnati to really see what it has in Maxwell. 

The deadline is approaching for the Reds to decide whether Maxwell is a sound investment. In December, he will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to the 40-man roster. What better way to test a prospect, even one with command issues (not unlike Luis Mey), than to give him a long-awaited shot at big, meaningful innings. It’s time for Big Sugar to join the squad.

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