Kevin Abel wasted no time making his winter league debut count.
With the Mexican Winter League back in action on Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds prospect took the ball for Guasave on the road against Mochis and turned in a crisp, efficient opening-night performance. The 27-year-old right-hander carved through five hitless innings, allowed just one walk and struck out seven in a 2-0 Algodoneros win.
Abel’s only blemish on the night came in the second inning, when he issued a leadoff walk. That was the lone free pass he surrendered. The first inning also included a baserunner, though that one reached on a catcher interference call.
He didn’t pile up strikeouts early, with only two through the first three innings, but Abel finished strong. Over his final two innings on the mound, he punched out four of the last five batters he faced to close the outing on a high note. He got through his five frames on just 59 pitches, landing 42 for strikes, and kept the ball on the ground with six groundouts against only one flyout.
The Reds selected Abel in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. He had previously been taken by the San Diego Padres in the 35th round in 2017, but chose college instead of signing.
In 2026, he split time between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville, making 17 starts and 14 relief appearances. Most of his innings came with Chattanooga, where he logged 93.0 of his 111.0 total innings on the season.
That year wasn’t smooth in terms of control. Abel walked 70 batters and hit seven more, though he also struck out 118 hitters.
The Guasave bullpen took it from there and did its job. Over the final four innings, it allowed two hits but no runs, preserving the shutout and giving Abel the win.
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