WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former VMI standout Reed Garrett '15 was called up to the major leagues Tuesday by the Washington Nationals and immediately saw action out of the bullpen.

Garrett came into the seventh inning of a home game against the Atlanta Braves. The 6-2 right-handed pitcher threw two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

Garrett is the second former Keydet to compete at the major-level level this season, as Josh Winder '19 has a 3.68 ERA and 2-2 record in seven games with the Minnesota Twins. Winder is currently on the 15-day injured list but is on a rehab assignment with AAA St. Paul.

This is Garrett's second stint in the big leagues, after tossing 13 games with the Detroit Tigers out of the bullpen in the 2019 season. He pitched the last two seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball before signing a minor league contract with Washington this February. Garrett had a 4-3 record with a 4.00 ERA in 27 innings of relief and 25 strikeouts with Rochester, the Nationals' AAA affiliate.  

Drafted in the 16^th round by the Texas Rangers in the 2014 draft, Garrett was a non-roster invitee to the Rangers spring training in 2018 and spent most of the season at the AAA and AA levels. Garrett had a 1.69 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 42.2 innings at AA Frisco and was a Texas League All-Star with a 3-1 record and 16 saves. He finished the season at AAA Round Rock, totaling 19 innings, a 2.84 ERA and five saves. He was claimed by the Tigers in December of 2018 in the Rule 5 Draft and subsequently placed on the 40-man roster.

Garrett, from Richmond, Virginia, had a 3.29 ERA in three seasons with VMI in 23 starts and 56 appearances. He blossomed as a junior in 2014, earning second-team Big South honors with a 2.23 ERA and tossed a no-hitter against Lafayette College with one walk and 13 strikeouts.