The Cincinnati Reds have confirmed that right-handed pitcher Julian Aguiar, one of their top prospects, has undergone Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season. This news comes after some confusion last week surrounding the health of Aguiar’s elbow, with initial reports suggesting he had undergone surgery, only for it to be clarified that he was seeking a second opinion. Ultimately, Mark Sheldon of Reds.com confirmed on Saturday that the procedure had indeed taken place.
Aguiar, a 12th-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, has risen quickly through the Reds’ farm system. The young pitcher earned recognition as Cincinnati’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023, and he seemed poised for even greater success in 2024 before being called up to the big leagues in August. Unfortunately, his promising career is now temporarily derailed due to this significant injury.
In his time with the Reds this season, Aguiar showed flashes of potential but struggled with consistency. He made seven starts, throwing 31.2 innings and recording a 6.25 ERA. He allowed 30 hits, walked 12 batters, and gave up eight home runs while striking out 19. His final outing came against the Atlanta Braves, where he surrendered seven runs in just four innings, marking his first loss in a game he started.
Aguiar was placed on the injured list shortly after that game, initially diagnosed with an elbow sprain. However, further evaluation revealed the need for Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for all of 2025.
This injury leaves the Reds with limited pitching depth moving forward. Aguiar joins fellow pitcher Brandon Williamson, who is also out for the 2025 season, creating a significant gap in Cincinnati’s rotation. As it stands, the team has Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, and Rhett Lowder as rotation locks for 2025, with one spot up for grabs. Potential candidates to fill that vacancy include Jakob Junis, Carson Spiers, Graham Ashcraft, or possibly a prospect like Chase Petty or Connor Phillips, should he rebound from a tough 2024 campaign. The Reds may also explore free agent or trade options to bolster their staff.
Aguiar’s absence will be a notable loss, but the Reds remain hopeful that he will return strong in 2026 and pick up where he left off in his ascent as a promising young arm in their organization.
