This Reds prospect just flipped the switch after slow start

Cincinnati Reds prospect Adam Serwinowksi has always been the underdog. The left-hander was a 15th rounder out of high school with an under-slot deal in 2022 and didn’t crack many prospect lists until 2024. A starter with just two pitches in his arsenal, Serwinowski is still an unlikely star, but his recent hot streak indicates tremendous underlying potential.

Serwinowski, who turned 21 in June, has been working with High-A Dayton to build up his inning load and work deeper into games. He hit the skids in May, enduring a stretch when he gave up 18 runs in just 15 ⅔ innings across five outings.

Since then, however, he's been on fire, producing an ERA of 1.88 in June. Serwinowski’s continued success and upward trajectory will depend on which of these two versions he trots out consistently.

If Adam Serwinowski can extend his hot streak, he may be the surprise breakout Reds prospect of the season

Serwinowski relies on a fastball-slider combo to induce soft contact and the occasional chase. At Class A Daytona last season, the lefty’s slider was the second-best breaking pitch in terms of avoiding hard contact. It dives hard to the glove side with more than 9 inches of break. The sweeping movement down and in toward righties works as a strong complement to Serwinowski’s fastball.

The heater is perhaps his most effective — and most crucial — pitch. In Serwinowski’s six strikeout performance on June 29, each of the Ks can courtesy of the fastball, which climbed into the high 90s. The pitch averaged 93.8 mph last season, so this uptick in velocity could be a major positive development for the young prospect.

Two major concerns remain for Serwinowski. Although he has thrown a changeup and a sinker, he doesn’t have a proven third pitch. The fastball-slider combo has been effective enough for the lower levels, but he will likely need to expand his arsenal to stick as a starter in Double-A and beyond.

Serwinowski also struggles at times with walks. It’s possible that his high walk rate (11.2%) could be due to batters laying off the chase pitch out of the zone, but still, that amount of free passes could lengthen and ultimately derail an outing. For a player who has yet to throw more than 82 pitches this season, efficient innings are a must.

Serwinowski, though, could be a diamond in the rough. In a system stacked with hard-throwing righties, he offers the Reds a southpaw option. FanGraphs was high enough on him to nearly include him in their Top 100 prospects this season. If he continues to pitch like he has been, other outlets will be taking notice as well.

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