Two 2025 Cincinnati Reds Draft Picks Promoted to Single-A

CINCINNATI - Right-handed pitchers Mason Morris and Brady Afthim were added to the Daytona Tortugas roster on Thursday. Morris was selected in the third round out of Ole Miss, and Afthim was selected in the 13th round out of UConn.

Morris made 19 appearances as a junior at Ole Miss in 2025, leading the team in strikeouts with 78 as the team's primary long relief option out of the bullpen. He would go 5-1 with a 3.29 ERA, and opponents would hit .220 against him. The 22-year-old was the number-one-ranked shortstop out of the state of Mississippi and projected to be a power bat with excellent athleticism. Since transitioning to the mound full-time, his fastball averages 95 mph and peaks out around 99 MPH.

Afthim was selected to the second team All-Big East team and would finish second in UConn history with 92 appearances. He finished his career tied for eighth in saves with 17 and had the lowest batting average against in school history at .211. He finished 2025 with a 2-2 record with a 2.70 ERA, nine saves, and a career-high 53 strikeouts. He was the number-one recruit out of the state of Maine coming out of high school.

A couple arms from the latest @Reds most recent draft class arrive as reinforcements for the playoff push!

Welcome Mason and Brady! pic.twitter.com/EkptW4x3qL
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) August 28, 2025