The Cincinnati Reds have parted ways with minor league outfielder Peyton Burdick, reducing their outfield depth. Burdick began the 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles organization, spending three weeks in Triple-A before being placed on waivers. The Reds claimed him and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.
Burdick gained brief attention on May 21st when the Batavia, Ohio native launched a 500-foot home run while playing for Louisville. This impressive feat stood as the longest home run of the 2024 professional baseball season, surpassing the MLB’s longest homer that year—a 480-foot shot hit by Jesus Sanchez against Reds pitcher Jakob Junis in August. Interestingly, Junis was making his Reds debut in that game, which Cincinnati ultimately won 10-3.
Despite his power potential, Burdick struggled at the plate. In 47 games with Louisville, he hit just .189/.291/.341, striking out 80 times in 189 plate appearances. These struggles mirrored his performance in 16 Triple-A games with Norfolk while part of the Orioles system earlier in the season. A mid-season injury sidelined him for the final two-and-a-half months of the year.
Originally a third-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Wright State, Burdick appeared in 46 MLB games between 2022 and 2023, hitting five home runs. However, he did not make it back to the majors in 2024.
Burdick’s release in December could suggest an opportunity to play overseas, though no reports have confirmed this yet. Regardless, he is no longer part of the Reds organization and will seek new opportunities to continue his career.
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