The Milwaukee Brewers have been dealing with a series of setbacks to their pitching staff in recent weeks, but they added some organizational depth on Thursday.
The team signed right-handed pitcher Lyon Richardson to a minor league contract after he became a free agent following his departure from the Cincinnati Reds organization. Richardson had been designated for assignment by Cincinnati and later chose free agency. He agreed to terms with Milwaukee on Wednesday and was officially assigned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds on Thursday, according to his MLB.com player profile.
Who Is Lyon Richardson
Lyon Richardson was originally chosen in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft and eventually reached the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. Since making his debut, the right-hander has appeared in 41 big-league games, posting a career 6.67 ERA. His strongest season came in 2024 when he logged 37.2 innings across 34 appearances and recorded a 4.54 ERA. Outside of that campaign, he has not appeared in more than four major-league games in any single season.
The majority of Richardson’s professional experience has come in the minor leagues, where he has pitched in 145 games since beginning his career. Across those appearances, the 26-year-old owns a 4.56 ERA.
Richardson brings intriguing raw talent, highlighted by a power fastball that averages 96.3 mph. While he does not currently qualify for Statcast percentile rankings, he has generated a 33.3% whiff rate and a 30% strikeout rate this season, showing the ability to miss bats at a high level.
Milwaukee has built a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers, making the Brewers an interesting landing spot for Richardson. The organization has repeatedly helped arms reach another level, with pitchers such as Kyle Harrison serving as recent examples of successful development.
The Brewers are also in need of bullpen depth. Injuries have sidelined DL Hall and led to Brian Fitzpatrick being transferred to the 60-day injured list, while Jacob Waguespack was recently traded to the Detroit Tigers. Adding Richardson gives Milwaukee another bullpen option and valuable organizational depth as the club works through its pitching shortages.
