Reds right-hander Julian Aguiar underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Initially, it was reported that Aguiar was still weighing his options, but the second opinion ultimately confirmed the need for surgery.
The 23-year-old is expected to miss the entire 2025 season. If the Reds keep him on the 40-man roster through the offseason, they can place him on the 60-day injured list at the start of spring training, meaning he would be on the IL all of next season before rejoining the 40-man roster in the winter.
Aguiar has progressed from a 12th-round pick out of a California junior college to one of Cincinnati’s top pitching prospects, ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the system by Baseball America. They highlight his plus changeup as his standout pitch in an otherwise average repertoire, suggesting he could become a back-of-the-rotation starter.
Aguiar made his MLB debut in mid-August after posting a solid 3.79 ERA across 116 1/3 innings in Double-A and Triple-A. However, he struggled at the major league level, posting a 6.25 ERA in seven starts, allowing eight home runs in 31 2/3 innings and generating only an 8.1% swinging strike rate, resulting in a below-average 13.6% strikeout rate.
In the closing weeks of the season, the Reds also lost lefty Brandon Williamson to Tommy John surgery. While Cincinnati has a promising core with Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Rhett Lowder, and Andrew Abbott, they will need to bolster their rotation. With Nick Martinez and Jakob Junis likely to decline options and enter free agency, the Reds may pursue multiple starting pitchers this offseason.
