Lyon Richardson


Lyon Richardson is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He made his Major League Baseball debut in 2023.

Amateur career

Richardson attended Jensen Beach High School in Jensen Beach, Florida. He committed to play college baseball at the University of Florida. As a senior in 2018, he went 7–0 with a 0.58 ERA and ninety strikeouts over 48 innings alongside batting.369, and was named the Treasure Coast Newspapers Player of the Year. After his senior season, he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.

Professional career

Richardson signed with the Reds and made his professional debut that year with the Greeneville Reds of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. Over 29 innings, he compiled a 0–5 record and a 7.14 ERA. In 2019, his first full minor league season, he played with the Dayton Dragons of the Single-A Midwest League, going 3–9 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over 26 starts. After the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he flew to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and spent the summer working out at Cressey Sports Performance, participating in simulated games with fellow minor leaguers. In September, he was added to Cincinnati's 60-man player pool and participated in their instructional league. Richardson was assigned to Dayton, now members of the High-A Central, for the 2021 season; he appeared in 19 games in which he went 2–5 with a 5.09 ERA, 91 strikeouts, and 38 walks over 76 innings. Following the season's end, he underwent Tommy John surgery, and thus missed all of the 2022 season.
On November 15, 2022, the Reds selected Richardson's contract and added him to the 40-man roster. Richardson split minor league time in 2023 between the Daytona Tortugas, the Chattanooga Lookouts, and the Louisville Bats. On August 6, Richardson was called up to the major leagues for the first time to make his MLB debut. He made 4 starts for the Reds, struggling to an 8.64 ERA with 13 strikeouts across innings pitched.
Richardson was optioned to Triple–A Louisville to begin the 2024 season. He made one appearance for Cincinnati, allowing two runs on two hits with one strikeout in of an inning pitched against the Chicago Cubs.
Richardson was again optioned to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2025 season. He made 34 appearances for Cincinnati during the regular season, posting an 0-3 record and 4.54 ERA with 30 strikeouts across innings pitched. On December 27, 2025, Richardson was designated for assignment following the acquisition of Dane Myers. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Louisville on January 7, 2026.