Reds Have Two More Debuts In August

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Will Banfield and Zach Maxwell, also known as big sugar, made their first big league appearances in August.

Both players were invited to spring training in Goodyear, Arizona and played in Louisville this year. 

Maxwell is 24 years old and stands 6’6” and weighs in at a generous 293 pounds. He can bring it. He routinely throws 100 miles an hour.

Maxwell was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 30th round in 2019 but pitched at Georgia Tech University instead. The native of Nashville, Tennessee was drafted by the Reds in the sixth round in 2022.

The name of Big Sugar was born when Maxwell pitched in the minor leagues. The broadcaster referred to him as “The Big Hunk of Sugar”. The name stuck. 

This season at Louisville, Maxwell pitched in 51 games in relief with a 1-3 record and five saves. He had an ERA of 4.17 over 49 ⅔ innings, walking 32 and striking out 59.

He was called up by the Reds during the long west coast road trip and made his first big league appearance on August 23 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a blow out 10-1 loss. He gave up a home run but struck out five, one of five players since 1920 to do that in a debut.

Maxwell pitched a scoreless inning and a third against the Dodgers on August 25 with two walks and a strike out.

He graduated from North Paulding High School in Dallas, GA, where he threw a no-hitter in 2019, before going to Georgia Tech. In 2021, Maxwell pitched for Chatham in the prestigious Cape Cod League. His father, Tom, played basketball at Idaho State at 6’11”.

Banfield ,25, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 2018 draft out of Brookwood HS in Snellville, Georgia. He had a scholarship lined up to play baseball at Vanderbilt University but signed with the Marlins.

The catcher spent seven seasons in the Marlins system, including the Covid 2020 season in which he was part of the 60-man unit that trained at the alternative site in Jupiter Florida. He was granted free agency on November 4. 2024 and signed with the Reds to join Austin Wynns, adding needed catching depth when Tyler Stephenson was injured in spring training. When Stephenson recovered the Reds carried Wynns as a third catcher for a while but had to designate him for assignment when the roster needed more flexibility.

Banfield was invited to participate in his third Major League Spring Training camp by the Reds. He spent 2023 and 2024 in the Marlins’ big league camp.

He played in 17 games and hit .190 but all four of his hits were for extra bases, including a double, triple and two home runs.

Banfield’s contract was selected by the Reds when Stephenson was put on the 10-day disabled list with a broken left thumb.

He played in his first Major League game on August 23 after starter Jose Trevino was removed for a pinch hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Banfield made his first start the next day against Arizona. He struckout twice in three at bats. He got his first career hit against the St. Louis Cardinals, entering the game when Trevino was removed for a pinch runner.

At Louisville this season, Banfield played in 73 games. He hit .220 with 13 doubles, two home runs and 23 RBI.

The following are his career highlights before he was signed by the Reds.

He entered the 2024 season rated by Baseball America as the Marlins No. 16 prospect.

Banfield was the starting catcher and cleanup hitter in the Marlins' inaugural Spring Breakout game vs StL on March 15, 2024.

In 2023, he was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star (Marlins).

That year Banfield was also recognized as Miami's Class AA Player of the Year after leading Pensacola in hits (118), home runs (23), doubles (25), extra-base hits (50), and total bases (216). He was rated the Marlins No. 26 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

As the Marlins No. 30 prospect in 2021, Banfield played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, helping Mesa to an Arizona Fall League Championship.