Reds May Have a Future MLB Starter Hiding Outside Their Top 20 Prospects

The Cincinnati Reds don’t have a treasure chest of pitching prospects in their farm system. The days of rotating first-round picks like Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns, and Rhett Lowder look to be over.

However, one Reds prospect could take a big leap in 2027, likely moving from the organization's #23 prospect to a middle-of-the-rotation arm. 

Right-handed pitcher Luke Holman is making a splash in the Arizona Fall League after consistently battling injuries ever since he was selected as a Competitive Balance Round B pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He played for Alabama for two years before transferring to LSU. 

He spoke with Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline following his Oct. 5 night start. Mayo even said that if it weren’t for injuries, Holman would have been pitching for the big-league club long ago. 

He was a top-50 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Draft rankings just before he was selected. Mayo said Holman had projectable stuff, giving him an inside track at becoming an MLB pitcher. 

Holman threw just nine innings in 2025 before getting Tommy John surgery. This past summer, Holman threw just 6.2 innings in the Arizona Complex League. A groin injury kept him from being promoted to an affiliate team last season, but Cincinnati wanted him to pitch in the AFL. 

In his first start, he struck out six batters in three innings, sitting in the low 90s with a high of 95 mph, according to Mayo. Holman told Mayo that, in a way, it felt like the start of his career, having pitched just under 16 innings before. 

At 23, with multiple college seasons under his belt and a successful stint with Team USA, Holman is a strong candidate to make a big jump in 2027 and eventually earn a role in the Reds' starting rotation. Next season, the Reds will need starting pitching support after Hunter Greene’s injury and Brady Singer becoming a free agent. The Reds could re-sign Singer, but 2026 was one of his worst seasons, and the fanbase wouldn’t welcome that move unless it’s on a very team-friendly deal. 

Holman is one of the few Reds prospects seasoned enough to pitch innings for the big-league club next season, if there is one. 

According to Mayo, the Reds likely thought he had a high floor and ceiling and wouldn’t need to see multiple seasons to give him a chance. The bigger question is whether he can stay healthy.