Levi Stoudt made his Major League debut Wednesday afternoon. The Marlborough native started on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at Great American Ball Park.

            Stoudt becomes the second player from the Upper Perkiomen Valley to reach

Photo Courtesy of Cincinnati Reds

the Major Leagues. He joins Tim Mayza, a relief pitcher from Upper Hanover who debuted with the Toronto Blue Jays in August of 2017.

            Stoudt is also the second Perkiomen School graduate, who competed for head coach Ken Baker, to play in the majors. He joins Jose Morales, who spent four seasons as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter with the Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies between 2007 and 2011.

            The Reds promoted the pitcher from the Triple-A Louisville Bats to replace Connor Overton in their rotation. Overton was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain over the weekend. The Reds acquired Stoudt, 25, last summer in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.

            Facing big league hitters wasn't completely foreign to the 2015 Perkiomen School graduate. He was invited to major league spring training with the Mariners in 2022 and the Reds this spring after being selected to their 40-man roster.

            Stoudt had four total spring appearances, including three earlier this year for the Reds in Arizona. He recorded eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings in the Cactus League, allowing seven runs on eight hits, including three home runs.

            Stoudt spent just over two full seasons pitching in the minor leagues before reaching the highest level of his profession. A third-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 Major League Baseball Player Draft, Stoudt had to wait nearly two years to throw a pitch as a professional.

            Three days after his selection out of Lehigh University, a mandatory physical discovered a slight tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his pitching elbow. Stoudt, who signed with the Mariners on June 26, 2019, underwent corrective surgery less than a month later.

            He spent the next year rehabilitating the injury. However, the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Stoudt's professional debut to the following spring.

            During his recovery, Stoudt added at least 15 pounds of muscle and a curveball to his repertoire, which includes a Vulcan changeup and fastball that approached 98 m.p.h.

            On May 5, 2021 Stoudt debuted for the Everett Aquasox, a Seattle Mariners affiliate in the High-A Western League. He tossed four shutout innings against the Hillsboro Hops, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

            Later that summer, the Mariners promoted Stoudt to its Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers. He started the following season with the same team before he was included in a July 9, 2022 trade with the Reds for starting pitcher Luis Castillo.

            Stoudt spent less than a week with the organization's Double-A affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts, before accepting a promotion to the Bats on Aug. 3. He tossed five shutout innings in his only start for the Lookouts.

            In parts of three professional seasons with both organizations, Stoudt has made 43 minor league starts. He has collected a 14-12 record with a 4.11 ERA.

            In 203 2/3 innings, he has allowed 180 hits and 93 earned runs. The hard-throwing right-hander has recorded 199 strikeouts, issued 78 walks, and surrendered 24 home runs.