Cincinnati Reds Make Announcement on Former Top Prospect

The Cincinnati Reds recalled 25-year-old right-hander Connor Phillips from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, filling the roster spot of Tony Santillan after the veteran reliever was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hip labral tear, via the MLB transaction log.

The IL move is retroactive to Sept. 19 and effectively ends Santillan’s season.

Phillips, born May 4, 2001, in Houston, returns to the majors with six games remaining on Cincinnati’s schedule. The Reds sit at 72-84 and have already been eliminated from postseason contention, turning the final week into an evaluation period for players who could factor into 2027 plans.

The hard-throwing righty made Cincinnati’s Opening Day roster this year after a breakout 2025 as a converted reliever.

Last season, he went 5-0 with a 2.88 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 25 innings after being recalled twice from Louisville.

Command problems undid that progress in 2026. In 25 appearances before his May 23 option, Phillips posted a 5.53 ERA and 1.77 WHIP over 27.2 innings, walking 28 batters while striking out 28.

Walks were a club-wide bullpen issue, and Phillips led MLB relievers in that category at the time of his demotion.

He spent the rest of the summer with the Louisville Bats, going 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA, 51 strikeouts, and 32 walks in 31 games. Control remained inconsistent, but the Reds still view the former top-100 prospect as a live arm worth another look.

Phillips was acquired from Seattle in the 2022 Luis Castillo trade and debuted as a starter in 2023, posting a 6.97 ERA in five starts before the organization moved him to the bullpen. He later dealt with thoracic outlet syndrome, managing it with Botox injections rather than surgery.

Santillan’s season ended on a sour note. After a strong 2.44 ERA in 2025, he finished 2026 with a 6.42 ERA and 1.67 WHIP.

He had struggled badly since returning from an oblique strain, allowing a 10.24 ERA in his last 10 appearances. The Reds’ bullpen as a whole finished among the league’s weaker groups after injuries and inconsistency.

For Phillips, the late-season call-up is a chance to show improved strike-throwing in low-leverage spots before the offseason.

If he can locate his fastball and slider more consistently, he could re-enter the mix for a middle-relief role in 2027.

With the season winding down on the road against Atlanta and Toronto, Cincinnati will use the remaining games to gather information on arms like his.