Otters Randy Wynne Earns MLB Call-Up

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – On Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds called up former Evansville Otters pitcher Randy Wynne to the major leagues.

Wynne signed with the Reds organization out of Evansville in June of 2019.

“We couldn’t be happier for Randy,” Otters field manager Andy McCauley said. “He is a great pitcher and always gave us his best. We wish him the best of luck.”

The former Otter joins Brandyn Sittinger, Brad Ziegler, Justin James, R.J. Swindle, and Travis Schlichting on a list of players that Andy McCauley managed and later made it to the big leagues.

Wynne, from San Diego, California, signed and played for the Otters throughout 2018 and began the 2019 season in Evansville.

The right-hander was undrafted out of Missouri Baptist University and began his professional career in the United Shore League with the Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers in 2016 and 2017.

“Randy has worked really hard to get to this point in his career,” Otters pitching coach Max Peterson said. “We are proud of the work he’s put in to get to this moment.”

In 30 career games with the Otters, Wynne compiled a 14-11 record and 3.52 ERA with 161 strikeouts across 184.1 innings. He threw four complete games in 2018, tied for fifth-most in a single season in Otters history. His 5-2 start to 2019 helped earn him the contract purchase from the Reds.

The 30-year-old will make his Major League debut after four Minor League seasons in 2019 and 2021-23.

This season with Triple-A Louisville, Wynne has a 2-1 record in his seven starts, grabbing 19 strikeouts across his 31.1 innings.

Wynne joins three other former Otters to get the call-up to The Show, joining pitchers Sittinger, George Sherrill and Andrew Werner.

Sittinger played a few games in the majors before returning to the affiliated ranks in 2022. Sherrill went on to a lengthy MLB career from 2004-12 for four franchises and an All-Star selection in 2008. Werner pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2012 and then later moved on to become a baseball pitching coach after his stint in MLB.

The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.