Connor Phillips Has a New Role and Renewed Confidence Going Into Spring Training

CINCINNATI -- There are a lot of players on this year's Reds team that enter the season with uncertain expectations.

Connor Phillips is a player who's still relatively thin on experience. Even though he first broke into the Major Leagues in 2023, he hasn't pitched a lot at that level.

That may change this season. It appears as if Phillips has a new role in the bullpen. Phillips is competing to make the Opening Day roster as a converted reliever, and he'll have tough competition in a deep bullpen the Reds added to in free agency this past offseason.

“Can be a difference maker," pitching coach Derek Johnson told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "We’re going to give him every opportunity to show what he can do this spring."

Sep 13, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Connor Phillips (34) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

Phillips made a big splash in 2025, coming out of the bullpen in high-leverage games down the stretch. Phillips was 4-0 in 17 appearances with a 1.80 ERA, eight walks and 28 strikeouts over his final 20 innings.

Coming up to the Big League club in September of 2023, Phillips made five starts and went 1-1 with a 6.97 ERA. Phillips struck out 26 and walked 13 batters. His best start was a seven-inning performance against the Minnesota Twins.

“For me, it’s just a lot of confidence from knowing I can go out there and be an extremely good piece for this bullpen," Phillips told Sheldon. "I can be one of those back-end guys in baseball that goes out there and just shuts it down.”

The 24-year-old right-hander didn't make the Reds Major League roster in 2024, and then in Spring Training of 2025 things took a bigger turn when he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). He had nerves and blood vessels compressed between his clavicle and rib cage.

Rather than have surgery to remove the first rib near the right shoulder, Phillips underwent Botox injections near his neck and shoulder.

“It’s a maintenance thing that I just have to be proactive with," Phillips said. "There’s times when I go out there and my hands or fingers feel really fat. That’s just a blood flow thing. As long as I stay on top of it, then I feel pretty good for the majority of the time. Here and there, it’s like, ‘Hey, this feels terrible.’"

That's when Phillips was converted to a reliever. The results have been impressive, brightening his future in Cincinnati.

Phillips will look to make the Reds big-league roster this season. A roster that will include a deeper bullpen. New faces include Caleb Ferguson, Brock Burke and Pierce Johnson all acquired in free agency. Emilio Pagán, Tony Santillan, and Graham Ashcraft are all back to lock down the late innings.

Check out Sheldon's entire article here.