The Cincinnati Reds have signed 28-year-old right-handed pitcher Darius Vines to a minor-league contract, adding experienced pitching depth as the 2026 season enters its final stretch.
Vines, born April 30, 1998, in Oxnard, California, had been pitching in the Mexican League after the Atlanta Braves released him in late March.
He posted a 4-2 record with a 3.32 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 76 innings in 15 starts for the Tigres de Quintana Roo before a mid-August trade to the Acereros de Monclova. The Reds’ deal gives the 6-foot-1, 190-pound pitcher another chance in affiliated baseball.
Vines was a seventh-round pick by the Braves in 2019 out of Cal State Bakersfield after earlier draft selections by the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs that he declined. He reached the majors in 2023, earning a win in his debut with six innings of two-run ball against the Colorado Rockies.
Across parts of two seasons with Atlanta, he went 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA, 23 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 34 innings over nine appearances (four starts). He last appeared in the big leagues in July 2024.
After missing 2025 due to injury, Vines re-signed with the Braves on a minor-league deal in November 2025 but was released before Opening Day. His Mexican League work showed improved command and the ability to work deeper into games, qualities the Reds can use at Triple-A Louisville or as emergency depth.
Cincinnati sits at 60-66 and well out of the National League Central race. The club has dealt with pitching injuries this year, including issues involving Hunter Greene and others, while relying on a mix of established arms such as Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, and young starter Chase Burns.
A late-season minor-league addition like Vines is low-risk insurance rather than a roster-altering move.
For Vines, the signing represents a return to the organizational structure that first developed him. At 28, he is no longer a prospect but still young enough to contribute as a starter or long reliever if he repeats his recent form.
The Reds gain a pitcher who has already logged major-league innings and shown he can handle a starter’s workload in another professional league.
Whether Vines reaches Cincinnati this September will depend on his performance in the minors and any further injuries to the big-league staff.
For now, the deal quietly bolsters depth as the Reds play out the schedule. It also gives a former Braves draft pick a fresh opportunity to recapture the promise he showed in his 2023 debut.
