The Cincinnati Reds have lost some outfield depth in their minor league system after releasing Peyton Burdick. At the start of the 2024 season, Burdick was part of the Baltimore Orioles organization. However, after spending three weeks in Triple-A, the Orioles placed him on waivers, and the Reds claimed him, assigning him to their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.
Burdick briefly made an impression in the Reds’ system on May 21st when the Batavia, Ohio native launched a 500-foot home run while playing in Louisville. Although it occurred at the Triple-A level, the blast held up as the longest home run in professional baseball in 2024. For comparison, the longest MLB home run of the year was 480 feet, hit by Jesus Sanchez of the Miami Marlins against Reds pitcher Jakob Junis during Junis’s debut in a Cincinnati uniform. Despite Junis’s struggles in that game, the Reds secured a 10-3 victory.
About six weeks after his massive home run, the Reds placed Burdick on waivers, and he went unclaimed. Cincinnati then outrighted him to Triple-A, but his season ended prematurely due to an injury that kept him sidelined for the final two-and-a-half months. While Burdick showed impressive power potential, his overall offensive production was lacking. In 47 games with Louisville, he hit just .189/.291/.341 with 80 strikeouts in 189 plate appearances, numbers that mirrored his performance in 16 games with the Orioles’ Triple-A team in Norfolk earlier in the season.
A 3rd-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Wright State, Burdick appeared in 46 MLB games with Miami in 2022 and 2023, hitting five home runs during that span. However, he didn’t reach the majors in 2024 with either the Orioles or the Reds.
Burdick’s December release may indicate he’s pursuing an opportunity to play overseas, a common scenario for players in similar situations. However, no reports have confirmed this yet. Regardless, Burdick is no longer with the Reds and will be seeking new opportunities to continue his career.
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