The Cincinnati Reds have signed right-handed reliever Trevor Kuncl to a minor league contract, as reported by Driveline on Twitter. A graduate of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Kuncl played college baseball at George Washington University. In his first two college seasons, he also played as a position player, taking turns at catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field.
During his five years at George Washington, he recorded a 4.35 ERA over 122.0 innings, with 52 walks and 117 strikeouts, but went undrafted. In 2022 and 2023, he played for Lake Erie in the Frontier League, appearing in 76 games. In the spring of 2024, he signed with the Texas Rangers but was released at the end of spring training.
He then re-signed with Lake Erie before moving to Lancaster in the Atlantic League. Between those two teams in 2024, he posted a strong 2.31 ERA over 46.2 innings, with 12 walks and 64 strikeouts.
The Mexican Winter League season kicks off tonight, with Trevor Kuncl expected to pitch for the Águilas de Mexicali. By the time spring training begins in 2025, Kuncl will be 26 years old, so he’s aware that time is of the essence. However, he has impressive skills on his side, featuring a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach the upper 90s. He also incorporates a cutter and a splitter into his repertoire.
