Mey Day! Reds call up hardest-throwing pitcher at Triple-A

CINCINNATI -- With the Reds demoting former closer Alexis Díaz on Thursday, the club promoted one of professional baseball's hardest-throwing pitchers. Right-handed reliever Luis Mey was recalled from Triple-A Louisville and is in the big leagues for the first time.

Mey, 23, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Cincinnati's No. 20 prospect -- in large part because of a big arm and the high velocity it can produce.

The 6-foot-5 fireballer has thrown 45 pitches at least 100 mph this season, by far the most by any Triple-A pitcher. That included reaching 103.5 mph on April 19 vs. Columbus. During the 2025 Spring Breakout game vs. Brewers prospects, he drew howls from his own dugout while frequently reaching 101 mph and touching 102 during one inning of work.

But while Mey routinely lights up the radar gun, he is still working through command issues.

“As his career has unfolded, he’s gone through the development process. He started out as a four-seam guy in the lower Minor Leagues. He’s since transitioned into more of a two-seam or sinker guy and has been able to keep the velocity," Jeremy Farrell, the Reds' player development director, said this week before Mey was called up.

"With as much movement as he gets, it’s just been about consistency and finding starting points within the zone to keep him on the plate long enough to keep him competitive in games.”

In 10 appearances for Louisville, Mey has a 4.00 ERA. In his nine innings, he has seven walks allowed with 10 strikeouts.

"As he’s gone along here, he’s been met with challenges at each level. And with that comes the reality of facing better hitters," Farrell said. "We’ve challenged him with more leverage situations in games in order to prepare him for what he may face when he does get to the big leagues. He’s tackled everything head-on. He’s answered challenges thus far.”

“He’s got the arsenal. He’s not the finished product, and we know that," Reds skipper Terry Francona said.

Mey has thrown 45 pitches at least 100 mph this season, the most by any Triple-A pitcher. That included reaching 103.5 mph on April 19 vs. Columbus.

“Oh man, he’s got as good of stuff as anybody," Francona said. "He’s got to pound the strike zone. That’s been a little inconsistent, but that’s OK. That’s part of the maturation process.”

After being hired by the Reds in October, Francona watched Mey pitch in one game during the Arizona Fall League season.

“I think I saw the best inning he’s ever had," Francona said. "I was like, ‘Holy [cow]!’ It was just a wipeout inning.”