Height
6'1"
Weight
200 lbs
Age
24
College
Wake Forest
Draft
2023, Rd 1, #7
Experience
1 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsA
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 8 | 1.296 | 3-2 | 31 | 1.176 | 0.0 | 0 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
AAV
$780K/yr
Contract Value Index (CVI)
Lowder's rookie scale deal at $780K AAV earns an A+ CVI, representing exceptional value for a young starter already contributing meaningful innings. Through six games this season, he's posted 2 wins and 22 strikeouts while stepping into a rotation spot created by Nick Lodolo's injury absence — production that far exceeds rookie minimum expectations. At just 24 years old in his first MLB season, Lowder is delivering starting pitcher performance on a pre-arbitration salary that represents minimal financial risk for Cincinnati. The former first-round pick (7th overall in 2023) is capitalizing on his prominent opportunity with the kind of competitive showing that suggests he can lock down a permanent rotation spot. Media coverage frames him as a cautiously optimistic development story rather than a proven commodity, but his early returns validate the Reds' patience with their young pitching pipeline. This contract represents the ideal rookie deal scenario — a cost-controlled asset already contributing at the major league level with significant upside runway ahead.
Performance Analysis
Rhett Lowder grades as an All-Star caliber performer among MLB starting pitchers, earning a B+ Performance grade. He carries a 1.17 ERA (well below the league average of 4.20, placing him among the best in baseball) and a 1.27 WHIP across 30.2 innings pitched with a 6.6 K/9 rate. As a rookie at 24, Rhett is a key contributor for the Reds. With only 6 games on record, this grade carries a smaller sample size caveat.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 4/4 | @ TEX | W 2-0 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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