These guys? They’re not going elsewhere!
Luis Mey has been busy throwing 103 mph heaters past anyone and everyone he’s faced so far for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. He’s so far surrendered a lone hit and a pair of walks against 8 strikeouts in 8.2 IP of work, and he’s racked up 6 saves in the process.
Velocity has never been an issue for Mey, 23, who the Reds signed as an international free agent back in 2018 in the same class as one Elly De La Cruz. Harnessing it has been, though that’s seemingly turned a significant corner so far in AFL play.
That paired with the fact that he’d already spent time in AA meant he was a prime candidate for some other team to select him in next month’s Rule 5 Draft should the Cincinnati Reds not add him to their 40-man roster. Well, the deadline to make that call was today, and Cincinnati made sure he’s not going anywhere.
Mey was added alongside his Desert Dog teammate Tyler Callihan this afternoon, bringing Cincinnati’s 40-man roster tally to 39 names.
The #Reds today selected the contracts of IF/OF Tyler Callihan from Triple-A Louisville and RHP Luis Mey from Double-A Chattanooga.
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 19, 2024
Callihan, 24, has socked a pair of homers, pair of triples, poked a trio of doubles, and swiped five bags across 19 games played for Glendale in the AFL so far. That’s on the heels of reaching AAA Louisville for the first time after being selected in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft (and signing for an over-slot bonus of nearly $1.5 million to get him to eschew his commitment to play for the University of South Carolina).
After a brutally slow start to his 2024 season with AA Chattanooga, Callihan’s bat took off to the tune of an OPS of .889 over the final 58 games he played (split between AA-AAA). The oft-injured, versatile defender posted an even more impressive .966 OPS in 27 games played after returning from yet another injury on August 8th.
With Nick Martinez officially in the fold as well, that means the Reds have an open spot on their 40-man roster as the Rule 5 Draft looms on December 11th. Of course, they could go ahead and fill that beforehand by signing Juan Soto.
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Just sayin’.