Pitched collegiately at Tennessee (2022-23) before transferring to Wake Forest (2024)...Graduated from Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn. where he was selected by Baseball America as a 2021 First Team High School All-American...His father, David, played college football at Division II North Greenville College.
2025
On 6/24 vs. NYY made his Major League debut after having his contract selected from AAA-Louisville earlier in the day...added to the Taxi Squad on 6/23...Became the first Major League starting pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to strike out the first five batters he faced in his Major League debut (6/24 vs NYY)...Struck out eight batters in his debut, becoming just the seventh Reds pitcher since 1900 with at least eight strikeouts in his Major League debut (last: Jackson Stephens, 8k, 2017)...Was also just the second Red in that time with eight or more strikeouts and no walks in his debut, along with Johnny Cueto (10 K) on 4/3/08 vs. AZ...From 7/11-7/22 became first Reds pitcher and 14th Major Leaguer since 1900 with multiple 10-strikeout games within his first five career apps (last: MIL Freddy Peralta, 2018)...Struck out 10 batters in three straight starts from 7/11-7/28, joining Raisel Iglesias (8/23-9/2, 2015) as the only Reds pitcher to produce 10 strikeouts in three consecutive starts...The Hendersonville, Tenn. native started the inaugural MLB Speedway Classic vs. ATL in Bristol, Tenn. on 8/2 at Bristol Motor Speedway (1.0 IP, 2 K, 18 TP)...Was the first American League or National League game ever played in the Volunteer State...Waited out a two hour, 17-minute rain delay before taking the mound...Pitched a scoreless first inning but did not return when the game was ultimately suspended in the bottom of the first inning (more rain) and resumed the next day...Posted his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his eighth career appearance on 8/8 at PIT...Became the first Major Leaguer since the mound moved to its current distance in 1893 with 10 or more strikeouts in four of his first eight career games...Became the third Major Leaguer since 1893 with 10 or more strikeouts in four of his first eight career starts, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Bob Feller (1936)...His 57 career strikeouts through his first eight Major League starts were second-most by any Red in that span since 1900, behind only Gary Nolan (60k K, 1967)...Placed on the 15-day IL on 8/15, retro to 8/12 (grade 1 right flexor strain)...Activated on 9/11 and made his first career relief appearance the next day at the Athletics...Selected Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May...Named Southern League Pitcher of the Week for 5/26-6/1 (1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 82 TP)...At the time of his promotion to Cincinnati on 6/24, ranked among all full-season Minor League pitchers in WHIP (0.77), ERA (1.77), strikeouts (89), opponents batting average (.167), and K/BB ratio (89k/13bb)...Began the season at A-Dayton and made three appearances with the Dragons before he was promoted to AA-Chattanooga on 4/22...appeared in 8 games (all starts) for the Lookouts when he was promoted to AAA-Louisville on 6/10...made 2 starts for the Bats when he was promoted to Cincinnati on 6/24...Selected to participate in the annual Spring Breakout game during Spring Training but did not pitch.
2024
Was selected by the Reds in the first round (second overall) of the First-Year Player Draft...Was assigned to Rookie ACL Reds but did not pitch...He was invited to the 2025 Major League Spring Training Camp, his first Spring Training camp as a professional.
