Biography
Lyon Richardson (born January 18, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB 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 (47th overall) 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 (18 starts) 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 16+2⁄3 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 2⁄3 of an inning pitched against the Chicago Cubs. Richardson was again optioned to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2025 season.