Cincinnati Reds acquire former Kentucky pitcher Taylor Rogers in trade with San Francisco Giants

There is buzz building for the beginning of the Terry Francona era for the Cincinnati Reds. The National League Central franchise has plenty of young talent and is now making some moves to bolster its roster. The latest is a former standout for the University of Kentucky.

Taylor Rogers is a Colorado native who was drafted in the 37th round of the 2009 MLB Draft but decided to play college ball instead. The left-handed pitcher finished his collegiate career with a 6-4 record and a 4.82 ERA as a starting pitcher playing for head coach Gary Henderson.

Rogers then turned pro and was drafted in the 11th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. The bullpen pitcher would make his MLB debut in 2016 and has been in the big leagues ever since. The Kentucky product made the All-Star Game in 2021 at age 30. Then the specialist has bounced around the league.

Taylor Rogers has played for the San Diego Padres (2022), Milwaukee Brewers (2022), and San Franciso Giants (2023-24). Now he will play for the Cincinnati Reds in the final year of his contract. The veteran is scheduled to earn $12 million this season.

Welcome to Reds Country, Taylor Rogers❗️ pic.twitter.com/uSwTg5CTR5

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) January 29, 2025

The former Kentucky pitcher has made 509 appearances during his professional career with 490.2 innings pitched, 3.34 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP. Rogers has been typically strong against left-handed hitters.

Cincinnati has also acquired starting pitcher Brady Singer (Kansas City Royals), infielder Gavin Lux (Los Angeles Dodgers), and catcher Jose Trevino (New York Yankees). Will that be enough to push for a division title? The Reds hope so as Francona takes over an organization with a lot of young star talent and improved roster depth after some trade acquisitions this offseason.

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