Connor Phillips

Connor Phillips is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB).^[1] Born on May 4, 2001, in Houston, Texas, Phillips stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 209 pounds, batting and throwing right-handed.^[1] Phillips attended McLennan Community College in Texas before being selected by the Seattle Mariners in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2020 MLB Draft with the 64th overall pick.^[1] On March 29, 2022, the Mariners traded him to the Cincinnati Reds as the player to be named later in a deal that also involved outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Eugenio Suárez.^[2] He made his MLB debut with the Reds on September 5, 2023, and has primarily served as a relief pitcher.^[1] In the 2025 season, Phillips posted an undefeated 5-0 record with a 2.88 earned run average over 25 innings in 21 relief appearances, recording 32 strikeouts.^[1]

Early life and amateur career

Early life

Connor Phillips was born on May 4, 2001, in Houston, Texas.^[1]^[3] He grew up in the Houston area as a native of the city.^[4] From a young age, Phillips showed interest in sports, particularly baseball and football, which became central to his early development before entering high school.^[4] His physical growth during this period positioned him well for athletic involvement, reaching a height of 6 feet 2 inches by his later teenage years.^[1] This upbringing in Texas laid the foundation for his transition into organized high school athletics.

High school career

Phillips attended Magnolia West High School in Magnolia, Texas, where he competed in both baseball and football. As a defensive back and free safety on the football team, he contributed to the Mustangs' efforts during his high school years.^[5] In baseball, Phillips played as a right-handed pitcher and outfielder under coach Justin Faltesek, earning District MVP honors and second-team all-state selection.^[6] During his senior year in 2019, Phillips had a breakout season on the mound, compiling a 12–3 record with a 1.13 ERA and 125 strikeouts over 92⅔ innings pitched.^[1] He showcased his command in key games, including a complete-game two-hit shutout against Pflugerville with 11 strikeouts and a complete-game two-hitter in a playoff victory over Georgetown.^[7] These performances helped lead Magnolia West to a strong season and highlighted his potential as a prospect. Following his senior year, Phillips was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 35th round (1,047th overall) of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft.^[8] He chose not to sign with the organization and instead pursued higher education at McLennan Community College. Although he had verbally committed to Louisiana State University, Phillips chose McLennan Community College to develop further and re-enter the draft after one year.^[4]^[8]

College career

Phillips enrolled at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, in the fall of 2019.^[9] As a freshman, Phillips made six starts for the Highlanders, compiling a 3–1 record with a 3.16 ERA over 25⅔ innings while striking out 27 batters.^[10]^[11] His performance featured a fastball that reached 97 mph and a sharp curveball, drawing early scouting interest for his raw velocity and pitchability.^[9]^[12] The season was cut short after those six appearances due to the cancellation of the NJCAA schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting further opportunities to showcase his skills.^[10] Despite the abbreviated campaign, Phillips' strong showings elevated his prospect ranking to the top junior college arm entering the draft.^[13]^[12] Building on momentum from his high school career, Phillips' college performance led to his selection by the Seattle Mariners in the second round, 64th overall, of the 2020 MLB Draft, making him the highest-drafted junior college player that year.^[12]^[14]

Professional career

Seattle Mariners organization

The Seattle Mariners selected right-handed pitcher Connor Phillips in the competitive balance round B of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft with the 64th overall pick, shortly after which he signed with the organization for a $1,050,300 bonus, the full slot value for his selection.^[10]^[1] This signing completed the Mariners' agreements with all six of their 2020 draft picks.^[10] Phillips' initial professional season in 2020 was severely limited due to the cancellation of the minor league schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing him from making any on-field appearances.^[15] In 2021, Phillips made his minor league debut, splitting time between the High-A Modesto Nuts and the High-A Everett AquaSox, where he posted a 7–4 record with a 4.62 ERA and 111 strikeouts over 76 innings in 17 starts.^[1] He began the year with Modesto after being assigned there on April 30, allowing 64 hits while demonstrating solid strikeout ability in his first taste of affiliated ball.^[16] Phillips was promoted to Everett on September 15, finishing the season strong in the Northwest League.^[16] On March 29, 2022, the Mariners traded Phillips to the Cincinnati Reds as the player to be named later in a deal originally completed on March 14, which sent outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suárez to Seattle in exchange for pitcher Justin Dunn, outfielder Jake Fraley, pitching prospect Brandon Williamson, and Phillips.^[2] At the time, Phillips was ranked as the Mariners' No. 15 prospect, valued for his mid-90s fastball and potential as a starter.^[2] The trade provided the Mariners with established major league production to bolster their lineup, while the Reds acquired young pitching depth in Phillips.^[17]

Cincinnati Reds organization

Following his acquisition by the Cincinnati Reds from the Seattle Mariners as the player to be named later in the March 2022 trade that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez to Seattle, Phillips was assigned to the Reds' High-A affiliate, the Dayton Dragons.^[2]^[18] In 2022, Phillips split the season between the Dayton Dragons (High-A) and the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A), posting a combined 5–8 record with a 3.78 ERA and 150 strikeouts over 109⅔ innings pitched.^[18]^[16] Phillips began the 2023 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) before earning a promotion to the Triple-A Louisville Bats.^[18] In 25 minor league appearances (24 starts) across Double-A and Triple-A, he recorded a 4–5 mark, 3.86 ERA, and 154 strikeouts in 105 innings.^[18]^[16] On September 5, 2023, Phillips made his major league debut for the Reds, starting against the Mariners and striking out seven over 4⅔ innings.^[19] In five MLB starts that September, he went 1–1 with a 6.97 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 20⅔ innings.^[1]^[8] The 2024 season proved challenging for Phillips at the Triple-A Louisville Bats, where he made 19 starts and struggled to a 3–9 record, 8.01 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 78⅔ innings, with command issues leading to 54 walks.^[18]^[16] He did not appear in any major league games that year.^[8] Phillips opened the 2025 season optioned to Triple-A Louisville but was placed on the injured list in early April with shoulder fatigue (scapula-related).^[20]^[21] After a brief rehab stint with High-A Dayton, where he allowed one run over three appearances, he was activated from the Triple-A injured list on May 9 and recalled to the Reds.^[20]^[16] Transitioning to a relief role, Phillips excelled, going 5–0 with a 2.88 ERA, 32 strikeouts (a 33% rate), and an average fastball velocity of 98.3 mph over 25 innings in 21 appearances.^[1]^[22] A highlight came on September 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he retired all four batters faced—striking out three—to earn the win.^[22]^[21] The Reds qualified for the 2025 MLB playoffs as the No. 3 Wild Card but were swept 2–0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series; Phillips did not appear in the postseason.^[23] Through the 2025 season, Phillips' major league career stats with the Reds stood at 6–1 with a 4.73 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 45⅔ innings in 26 appearances (5 starts).^[8]^[24] He was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Reds' organization entering 2024 by MLB Pipeline.^[25]