Cincinnati Reds bring back reliever Alex Young on a minor league deal

The lefty will look to return to his 2023 form.

Lefthander Alex Young appeare in 66 games for the Cincinnati Reds across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and there’s a good chance he’ll add to that tally again in 2025.

The Reds and Young agreed to a minor league deal on Monday afternoon. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman had the news.

Young was a reliable piece for the Reds in 2023, pitching to a 121 ERA+ across 53.2 IP. Lower back issues popped up for him during the 2024 season, however, and he appeared in only a trio of games at the big league level for Cincinnati before being included in the deal that brought Austin Slater in from the San Francisco Giants. He was eventually claimed off waivers from the Giants by the New York Mets, totalling 15.2 IP in the majors for the year (and an additional 32 IP combined at the AAA levels for those three clubs).

If healthy, the 31 year old will be in the mix to be a lefty out of the bullpen alongside Sam Moll and Brent Suter. Moll, you’ll recall, was shut down to end the 2024 season with a left shoulder impingement, so bringing in Young on a low-risk deal adds depth to an area that may still have some questions going into spring camp.