Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle D.J. Reader threw what appeared to be a nasty slider for the ceremonial first pitch before the Reds' series-opener Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Great American Ball Park, and Bengals teammate B.J. Hill was on hand to take photos, some of which were shared on the Reds' official Twitter account.
Reader's impressive pitch was no surprise. The former three-sport athlete played baseball at Clemson in 2013 after playing four seasons at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Reader tweeted video of himself pitching to the Reds in April 2021, with the following text: "@Reds if you're looking for a (set-up) guy I've had some really good bullpen sessions lately.