The Cincinnati Reds are turning to a familiar strategy in hopes of reviving the potential of one of their most unpredictable arms. After watching Graham Ashcraft thrive following a transition from starting pitcher to the bullpen, the Reds are now applying that same blueprint to young right-hander Connor Phillips.
Phillips, who recently came off the injured list, made a few rehab appearances at High-A Dayton before rejoining Triple-A Louisville — this time as a reliever. His move out of the rotation may mark a turning point in his career, mirroring the shift that revitalized Ashcraft’s role on the team.
Phillips’ journey with the Reds has been anything but smooth. Acquired as the player to be named later in the 2022 trade with the Seattle Mariners, Phillips arrived with high expectations, even though he wasn’t initially part of the trade announcement. Selected 64th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, many considered him the top talent in the deal that also brought in Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson, and Justin Dunn.
Despite that promise, Phillips’ tenure in Cincinnati has been filled with inconsistency. His major league debut in 2023 was marred by control issues, most notably a disastrous outing against the Cardinals where he issued three walks on just 12 pitches to start the game — a moment that seemed to derail his confidence.
Struggles with command have long plagued Phillips, but they worsened last season, leading the Reds to send him to their Arizona complex for a midseason tune-up. At that point, his ERA had ballooned to 10.11 over 14 starts, with 50 walks and 53 strikeouts. However, upon returning to Triple-A late in the season, he showed mild improvement, posting a 25.3% strikeout rate and a trimmed 10.5% walk rate over his final five starts.
Now back with the Louisville Bats, Phillips’ first appearance out of the bullpen didn’t go well — giving up three runs in just one-third of an inning. But despite the rocky start, Cincinnati seems committed to seeing what he can become in a relief role.
With a fastball that touches the upper 90s and a pair of quality breaking pitches, Phillips could benefit from abandoning his ineffective changeup and simplifying his arsenal. Ashcraft’s struggles in the rotation stemmed from his inability to consistently handle opposing lineups deep into games, and while Phillips’ challenges are different, the hope is that a bullpen role could unlock the consistency he’s been lacking.
If the experiment works, Cincinnati could be adding yet another power arm to the back end of their bullpen — and finally tapping into the potential they saw when they first acquired him.
