Carson Spiers #68

Graduated from Greenville (S.C.) High School, where in addition to starring on the baseball team he also set school records as the school's quarterback...played at Clemson, where he was an ACC Academic Honor Roll member...in May 2020 graduated from Clemson with a degree in management...uncle is Bill Spiers, who was drafted in the first round by the Brewers in 1987 and played 13 Major League seasons.

2025

Appeared on his first career Opening Day roster...went 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in four games (one start) for the Reds during the 2025 Cactus League season...On 4/1 vs. Texas suffered the loss in his 2025 debut despite turning in his third career quality start (6 IP, 3 H, 1 R/1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR)...Optioned to AAA-Louisville on 4/8...recalled on 4/18...was originally scheduled to start the 4/20 game at BAL, but entered in relief of Hunter Greene on 4/19...On 4/20 was placed on the 15-day injured list (right shoulder impingement)...transferred to the 60-day injured list on 5/23...from 7/3-7/19 made four starts during a rehab assignment split between the R-ACL Reds (1 GS) and AAA-Louisville (3 GS)...returned from his rehab assignment on 7/20 (right bicep soreness)...Underwent surgery on his right elbow to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament on 8/13.

2024

On 4/8 was recalled from AAA-Louisville...Made his season debut on 4/9 vs. MIL...On 4/13 was optioned back to Louisville...On 5/17 was recalled from Louisville...On 5/26 vs. LAD he (3.1 IP) and Nick Martinez (4.1 IP) became the first pair of Reds relievers with 3.1+ IP in the same game since Scott Williamson (3.1 IP) and Andy Larkin (4 IP) on 7/4/00 at STL...on 5/27 was optioned back to Louisville...On 6/9 was recalled from Louisville...That afternoon vs. CHC struck out seven batters over 5.2 scoreless innings of relief...Became the first Reds reliever with 5.2+ scoreless innings and seven-plus strikeouts in an appearance since Don Gullett (8 IP, 8 K) on 8/15/72 at PHI...his seven strikeouts were most by a CIN reliever since Aaron Harang (9 K) on 5/25/08 at SD and were second-most by a Reds reliever at Great American Ball Park in the stadium's 22-year history, trailing Randy Keisler (8 K) on 6/7/05 vs. TB...In that game became the first National League reliever with 5.2+ scoreless innings and seven-plus strikeouts in an outing since AZ Josh Collmenter (6 IP, 7 K) on 6/19/13 vs. MIA...That outing was his seventh relief appearance in the Majors, all three-plus innings...Became the second Reds pitcher since 1900 to pitch at least three innings in each of his first seven relief outings in the Majors (also: Bob Ewing, 7 G, 1902-05)...On 6/17 at PIT pitched six innings in his first start since 9/9/23 vs. STL...Became the fourth Reds pitcher since 1980 with a scoreless relief outing of 5.2+ innings and a start of six-plus innings in consecutive appearances, joining: David Holmberg (RP: 5.2 IP, 9/8/14 vs. STL; SP: 6 IP, 9/13/14 at MIL), Todd Van Poppel (RP: 6 IP, 9/5/03 at STL; SP: 6 IP, 9/10/03 vs. PIT) and Mario Soto (RP: 8.2 IP, 7/5/80 vs. HOU; SP: 8.2 IP, 7/11/80 at ATL)...On 6/24 vs. PIT earned his first Major League win in his first quality start...Became the third CIN starter since the National League Central was formed in 1994 to make each of his first four Major League starts against the division, joining Vladimir Gutierrez (2021) and Jose Acevedo (2001)...On 6/29 at STL had his homerless streak snapped at 42.1 innings (began on 9/9/23 vs. STL) when he surrendered a home run to Paul Goldschmidt in the sixth inning...On 7/12 vs. MIA struck out each of the first six batters he faced to begin the game, a day after teammate Hunter Greene accomplished the same feat vs. COL...Finished the game, a 7-4 win, with a career-high nine strikeouts across five innings...On 7/13 was placed on the injured list (right shoulder impingement)...On 7/29 was activated from the 15-day injured list and pitched five scoreless innings (1 H) that night vs. CHC...Became the first Reds pitcher to produce a scoreless start and scoreless relief appearance of five-plus innings against the same team in a season since Mario Soto against HOU in 1980...He and Hunter Greene (7 IP, 2 H, 7/28 at TB) became just the fifth pair of Reds starting pitchers since 1975 with five-plus scoreless innings and two hits or fewer allowed in back-to-back team games, the first since Tyler Mahle (6.2 IP, 1 H) on 5/29/22 vs. SF and Luis Castillo (6 IP, 1 H) on 5/31/22 at BOS...On 8/14 vs. STL had his streak of relief outings with at least three innings pitched to begin his career snapped at seven games...Was the longest run by any NL pitcher since PIT Charlie Case (1904-05) did it in each of his first eight relief appearances...On 8/20 at TOR allowed 13 hits and 10 runs, the most by any Redlegs pitcher since Ben Lively (13H/13R) on 8/1/23 at CHC...His five home runs allowed were the most by any Reds hurler since Hunter Greene (also 5 HR) on 8/20/23 vs. TOR...On 9/12 at STL allowed seven hits in relief...Along with his seven hits allowed on 4/9 vs. MIL, became the first Reds relief pitcher to allow seven hits in a game on multiple occasions in a single season since Tim Birtsas also did it twice during the 1990 season...On 9/24 at CLE, his final outing of 2024, eclipsed the 100-inning mark for his career.

2023

Made his Major League debut with two starts and two relief appearances during three stints with the Reds...Was one of six Reds pitchers to make his Major League debut in a start (Levi Stoudt, Brandon Williamson, Andrew Abbott, Lyon Richardson, Connor Phillips)...Was one of 16 players to make his Major League debut and one of 23 rookies to make at least one appearance for the Reds...Spent most of the season in the Minor Leagues...Made all 28 of his appearances for Class AA Chattanooga (9gs, 8-3, 3.69) before he was promoted as a substitute player on 9/1, after reliever RHP Fernando Cruz and starters RHP Hunter Greene and RHP Ben Lively went on the COVID-19 injured list...Started the 15-7 loss vs Cubs on 9/3 and the 4-3 loss vs StL on 9/9 before he returned to Chattanoga on 9/10, when Greene came off the COVID-19 injured list...Didn't pitch for the Lookouts before he returned to the Reds on 9/14, when RHP Tejay Antone went on the 15-day injured list with right elbow tendinitis...In the 8-4 loss on 9/17 at NYM threw 3.0 innings in relief of starter LHP Brandon Williamson...returned to the Minors the next day, when LHP Alex Young came off the injured list and RHP Connor Overton was promoted to start that night vs the Twins.