On Thursday afternoon, the Cincinnati Reds optioned reliever Luis Mey, who brings a fastball topping 100 MPH, back to Triple-A Louisville. Ahead of their series in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team responded by calling up Zach Maxwell—another 100+ MPH arm—from Louisville.
To clear a spot for him on the 40-man roster, the Reds transferred right-handed reliever Ian Gibaut to the 60-day injured list.
At first glance, the moves look like a swap of nearly identical pitchers, but there are some distinctions. Maxwell, the Reds’ 6th-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2022, has steadily climbed the system and spent all of 2025 with Louisville’s bullpen.
The 24-year-old has shown flashes but battled inconsistency, recording a 4.17 ERA across 51 appearances. In 49.2 innings, he’s allowed 42 hits (six home runs), walked 32, and struck out 59 of the 220 batters he’s faced—good for a 1.49 WHIP.
Like Mey, Maxwell is one of the hardest throwers in the game. He’s hit 102 MPH this season and averages 99.1 MPH with his fastball. But while Mey’s fastball features heavy sink and horizontal movement, Maxwell relies on a rising four-seamer.
Both, however, struggle with command. Maxwell supplements his fastball with a cutter and slider—each used around 14% of the time—while leaning heavily on the heater, which he’s thrown 71% of the time.
The Reds’ hope is that Maxwell can provide a spark after Mey faltered. Still, the concern is that the same problems will follow—too many walks, and enough contact allowed to keep hitters in the game. Even in stretches where his ERA has been low, Maxwell’s walk rate has remained high, with sequencing luck often minimizing damage.
At this point in the season, though, options are limited. Teams can’t acquire impact big-league arms in August, leaving the Reds to work with their own system.
Maxwell might represent their best chance at catching lightning in a bottle. The raw stuff is undeniable—if his control sharpens and the element of unfamiliarity plays in his favor, he could give Cincinnati a short-term boost.
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