The Cincinnati Reds have optioned right-handed pitcher Lyon Richardson to Triple-A Louisville. Richardson held a solid 2.00 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP across nine innings of work in camp but will begin his campaign at the top level of the minor leagues. Last summer, Richardson logged just 2/3 of an inning in the major leagues. In 2023, Richardson made his MLB debut and held an 8.64 ERA with a 1.92 WHIP across 16 2/3 innings of work. Last season, Richardson spent most of his time at the Triple-A level and held a modest 4.67 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP across 98 1/3 innings. He tallied 93 punchouts but showed weak command of his pitches as he served up 59 free passes. With Richardson starting the season at Triple-A, Carson Spiers will open the campaign in the starting rotation. Richardson may find his way back to the majors this season, but he may have to shift to the bullpen.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Lyon Richardson delivered another strong outing on Tuesday, where he tossed five shutout innings with seven punchouts. Richardson has not allowed over two runs in his past three starts and has lowered his ERA to 2.74. The 24-year-old got a small taste of the majors last season but struggled with an 8.64 ERA and 1.92 WHIP across 16 innings. However, Richardson has never performed this well at Triple-A, suggesting that he may have taken another step forward in his development. The former second-round selection should be given another opportunity in the majors later in the summer and may be worth adding in NL-only formats when he is promoted.