TUESDAY’S GAME
Reds vs. Indians, 3 p.m., Fox Sports Ohio
Whoever said you only get one chance to make a good first impression didn’t know about the Cincinnati Reds long line of pitching prospects in spring training this year.
Manager Bryan Price will run out a steady stream of untested arms in Cactus League games this month, starting Tuesday afternoon when Jon Moscot takes the ball against the Cleveland Indians.
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Moscot was one of 14 pitchers to start a game for the Reds in 2015. Called up in June after going 7-1 with a 3.15 ERA at Triple-A Louisville, he lost his major-league debut before beating the Phillies for his first win. The 6-foot-4 right-hander’s season ended abruptly in the first inning of his third start when he dislocated his left shoulder while diving to tag out a base runner.
“It was a wet day and probably something I shouldn’t have done,” he remembered last week. “I’ve done it before when I was a position player in high school, diving around all the time, but it’s a freak thing that just takes one time.”
Moscot made a rapid rise through the Reds farm system. Drafted in the fourth round in 2012, the Californian hit every stop except Dayton and he’s hoping his minor league days are behind him.
“It’s a wide open field right now,” he said. “We have a lot of talented arms in camp, a lot of young guys and it should be a very interesting battle. I’m not going to say that I’m in the lead, but I like where I’m at and I’m feeling comfortable on the mound.”
Moscot says he didn’t waste the final months of the 2015 season, but rather used the down time to his advantage.
“When you have a lot of people in the stands and you have names of guys you’re used to seeing growing up on the field you start to get a little anxious out there,” he said. “Actually being hurt and sitting on the bench watching guys control their emotions really helped me a lot.”
The 24-year old says he feels stronger coming into camp this spring and said he’ll let the other guys take care of chasing down baserunners from now on.
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