The Cincinnati Reds have a new fan favorite.
It didn’t take long for the Cincy fanbase to fall in love with Zach Maxwell, also known as Big Sugar.
Maxwell measures up at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds.
And yeah, the right-handed pitcher’s fastball reaches triple digits.
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Look at this big fella:
Zach “Big Sugar” Maxwell is making his MLB debut for the Reds.
He’s 6’6, 275 pounds and throws 100+ MPH
He might already have the best nickname in baseball. pic.twitter.com/wMOsmk6UdO
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 24, 2025
Maxwell is 24 years old and originally from Nashville, Tennessee.
He went to high school in Dallas, Georgia, and was a 30th-round pick of the Yankees but didn’t sign.
Maxwell went on to Georgia Tech, and the Reds chose him in the sixth round in 2022.
He has moved relatively quickly through the minor leagues as exclusively a relief pitcher.
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This season at Triple-A Louisville, Maxwell has made it into 51 games and put up a 4.17 ERA.
In 49.2 innings at Louisville this season, Maxwell has 59 strikeouts.
His career minor league strikeout rate is 13.1 per nine innings. His bugaboo is walking 6.1 batters per nine innings.
Maxwell may not have the best control, but when he’s in the zone, he’s got great stuff.
And he’s about as imposing as they come out there on the mound. The Reds will certainly enjoy the sugar while they’ve got it.
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