Reds’ Tyson Lewis Just Keeps Getting Better
Last summer, the Reds drafted shortstop Tyson Lewis in the second round out of Omaha’s Millard West High and went nearly $1.25 million over slot to sign him.
“We believe there’s tremendous physical ability and projection with him,” Reds scouting director Joe Katuska said of Lewis on draft night.
Lewis did not play in official games after signing in 2024 but did play in bridge league games, where he generated buzz for his performance in unofficial games.
“Our first impressions were that he was a strong, athletic, physical kid,” Reds senior director of player development Jeremy Farrell said. “He went out and had a good offseason and came into spring training prepared.”
Nearly 10 months after being drafted, the 19-year-old Lewis took the field in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.
In his first professional at-bat, Lewis connected for a single with an exit velocity near 110 mph. The lefthanded batter had a number of balls in play hit harder than that in subsequent at-bats, and his average EV was near 88 mph.
Lewis is more than an EV novelty. He has been productive in the batter’s box to begin his career, with six multi-hit games in his first 14 of the season to go with a .351/.406/.509 batting line.
For good measure, he also went 8-for-10 in stolen base attempts.
“Due to his mentality, he enjoys playing the game and he shows up and he works and is coachable,” Farrell said.
“He’s the kind of player who continues to get better and has continued to get better in his professional career because he wants to learn and work.”
