With the re-signing of Emilio Pagan earlier this week, the Cincinnati Reds’ closer job is locked down for 2026. With them comfortably having Tony Santillan as their setup man, that leaves the back-end roles set in stone. However, prospect Luis Mey could emerge as a pivotal piece next year, further solidifying the Reds’ bullpen.
Reds Reliever Luis Mey Has the Potential for a Breakout Year in 2026
Mey’s 2025 Season
Known for his triple-digit sinker, Mey made a positive impression in the handful of games he was tasked with handling. In 2025, Mey appeared in 23 games for the Reds (all in relief) and posted a 3.42 ERA in 21 innings pitched.
His sinker was as lively as advertised, as it averaged a sizzling 98.9 MPH (98th percentile). It also generated ground balls at an elite rate at 50.9%, which would have put him in the top percentile of the league had he qualified with enough innings pitched.
The biggest issue for him, like any other young and developing pitcher, is his command. Mey had an awful 17.7 BB% in 2025, which absolutely has to get under control if he wants any kind of role on the Reds next year.
He wasn’t particularly flashy with the strikeouts, as he had just a 21.9 K%, but seeing as he can generate ground balls at an elite level, it should not be much of an issue. Strikeouts as a late reliever are important, but there are plenty of relievers who have succeeded without having to do so.
Luis Mey flashed 103 mph heat this year ?
He’s among six MiLB pitchers who touched 103 mph+ this season ?
Check out the full list of pitchers who hit triple digits this year: https://t.co/W6ZDS2Aztd pic.twitter.com/lUf37MfnBz
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) October 11, 2025
Mey’s simple two-pitch mix contributes to the lack of strikeouts as well, as he throws just a sinker and slider.
Sinker usage: 73%
Slider usage: 25%
4-Seam usage: 2%
Mey’s Path to a Significant Role
As previously mentioned, Mey’s command should be the primary focus this offseason. It’s not that there have been zero relievers that have succeeded despite being wild and walking hitters, but obviously, it would be easier to succeed without having to deal with runners on all the time.
Mey is essentially a lock to be on the big league roster this year. The undecided part is what kind of role he takes. If his command issues persist, we may see him operate as more of a mop-up duty or the occasional middle-inning relief opportunities.
In order to become a trusted late reliever, Mey needs to improve in some areas other than just limiting the walks. To start, the team would love to see improvements in generating swings and misses.
2025 Metrics w/ Cincinnati:
22.1 Chase%
25.6 Whiff%
21.9 K%
These numbers are all below league average and will definitely improve his numbers if he can work on them. Despite the 3.43 ERA in 2025, Mey had a 5.27 xERA. The small sample size of 21 innings masked some of his struggles.
Pitch Splits
Looking at Mey’s pitch usage splits, he is clearly more comfortable using his slider against right-handed hitters.
vs. Righties:
66% sinker
32% slider
2% 4-seam
vs. Lefties:
82% sinker
16% slider
2% 4-seam
By looking at this, it may seem like he would strike out more righties and lefties. However, Mey struck out 26.8% of lefties faced while just 18.2% against righties.
In fact, Mey had severe reverse splits. Lefties slashed just .188/.366/.219 while righties sufficed a nice .244/.364/.467.
With everything above, Mey would have to take a huge leap in order to become a reliable late reliever. If anything holds true in baseball, it’s that relievers can click quickly and become dominant in an instant. If he doesn’t become a breakout star, he will still be a reliable middle reliever for Cincinnati.
Main Photo Credit: © Bryan Lynn-Imagn Images
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