Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Control: 35 | Overall: 40 

Maxwell attracted scouting interest as a Georgia high schooler with a big 6-foot-6 frame, a fastball that reached 98 mph and flashes of a hammer curveball, albeit with scattered control. After turning down the Yankees in the 30th round of the 2019 Draft to attend Georgia Tech, he presents the same scouting report three years later. He pitched his way out of the rotation a month into the 2022 season and continued to battle the strike zone as a reliever, though he boosted his stock by striking out 11 in six innings against No. 1-ranked Tennessee in the NCAA regionals. 

Maxwell operates at 95-97 mph and has reached 101 in short stints, though his fastball has modest armside run and gets hit when he works in the bottom half of the strike zone. His breaking ball combines curveball depth with slider velocity in the mid-80s and touches 90 mph, but he has trouble landing it in the zone and tends to miss badly, so he doesn't generate a lot of chases. He fiddled with a changeup as a starter but has scrapped it as a reliever, which will be his role at the next level. 

Though he's throwing more strikes than he did in his first two years at Georgia Tech, Maxwell still has well below-average control and command. He has lost some weight but still has a soft body and needs to improve his conditioning, which might help him maintain his release point more reliably. He has the ability to dominate with his fastball and curveball but has yet to prove he can do so on a consistent basis. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45

Ever since his high school days, Maxwell has stood out for his extra-large frame and his ability to throw very, very hard. It continued over three years at Georgia Tech, where he left with career 14.7 K/9 and 9.0 BB/9 rates. The Reds, never ones to shy away from a big, yet erratic arm, took him in the sixth round of the 2022 Draft. It was more of the same, with a little better control, in his first full season across both levels of A ball and he extended the success to a stint relieving in the Arizona Fall League.

It's hard to oversell Maxwell’s presence on the mound with his 6-foot-6, 275-pound frame. His two-pitch power mix is equally intimidating. His fastball touches triple digits in his shorter relief stints with armside run and carry. He combines it with a power breaking ball that can touch 90 mph. It can be an out pitch if he can command it, which has been elusive at times, but the combination struck out 14.1 per nine during the regular season and 16.1 per nine in the AFL.

After walking a batter per inning in college, the fact that Maxwell walked just 5.6 per nine during his first full season is big progress. The Reds feel they may have discovered something simple: he wasn’t picking up the catcher until very late in his delivery and he has now adjusted to be around the zone more. After getting an invite to big league camp, it’s not out of the question that he could knock on the door to Cincinnati this season.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40

Maxwell was an intriguing high school prospect thanks to his big 6-foot-6 frame and fastball that touched 98 mph, albeit with shaky control. He was pretty much the same guy after three years at Georgia Tech, and the Reds liked his size and arm strength enough to take him in the sixth round of the 2022 Draft. He pitched his way across two levels of A ball as an effective reliever in his first full season of pro ball.

Maxwell can reach triple digits with his fastball in short stints with modest armside run. His hard breaking ball can touch 90 mph and miss bats when he can land it in or near the zone. He’s now a two-pitch guy as a reliever.

The right-hander really struggled to throw strikes at Georgia Tech, leaving school with a 9.0 BB/9 rate. He’ll never be confused with a command specialist, but strides in the control department during his first year of pro ball were encouraging. If that continues, he could carve out a big league bullpen role.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/21/2024	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to Louisville Bats from Chattanooga Lookouts.
	05/21/2024	Louisville Bats activated RHP Zach Maxwell.
	03/31/2024	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to Chattanooga Lookouts from Dayton Dragons.
	01/11/2024	Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Zach Maxwell to spring training.
	09/22/2023	Surprise Saguaros activated RHP Zach Maxwell.
	07/14/2023	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to Dayton Dragons from Daytona Tortugas.
	07/14/2023	Dayton Dragons activated RHP Zach Maxwell.
	08/23/2022	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to Daytona Tortugas from ACL Reds.
	08/11/2022	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to ACL Reds.
	08/11/2022	Cincinnati Reds signed RHP Zach Maxwell.
	06/14/2022	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to College Workout.
	06/14/2022	College Workout activated RHP Zach Maxwell.
	05/24/2022	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets activated RHP Zach Maxwell.
	05/24/2022	RHP Zach Maxwell assigned to Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.