Buck Farmer

George Runie "Buck" Farmer (born February 20, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers.

Early life
Farmer attended Rockdale County High School where he was a four-year letter winner and three-year captain. During his junior year, he posted a 1.50 earned run average (ERA), with a .443 batting average, while he posted a 2.02 ERA, with a .468 batting average during his senior year. Farmer holds the Rockdale single-game strikeout record with 22 against Dacula High School in 2008. He was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the 2008 Connie Mack World Series, and MVP of the 2008 World Wood Bat Championships. Farmer was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 46th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and elected to play college baseball at the Georgia Institute of Technology for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

College career
Farmer began his collegiate career at Georgia Tech in 2010. During his freshman season, he posted a 5–1 record, and a 3.63 ERA in 19 appearances. He recorded his first career win on March 14, in four innings of relief against Wake Forest, holding the Deacons to no runs on just two hits. During his sophomore season, Farmer posted an 11–3 record, and a 2.82 ERA in 16 starts. He went 8–1 in conference play. The eight conference wins were the most by any pitcher in the league in 2011. After the 2011 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

During his junior season, Farmer pitched a team-high 106$2/3$ innings, third in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He posted a 3.54 ERA, and allowed just 100 hits with 37 walks and 115 strikeouts, third-most in the ACC. He was the ACC's only pitcher to pitch a complete-game shutout with his 1–0 win over Duke, earning him the ACC Pitcher of the Week and College Sports Madness National Pitcher of the Week. After the season, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 15th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft, but chose to return to Georgia Tech for his senior season. During his senior season, Farmer posted 9–5 record in 17 starts, and a 2.78 ERA in 113$1/3$ innings with 122 strikeouts. He ranked second in the ACC in strikeouts, and finished with a career best in ERA, innings pitched, and strikeouts. He was a semifinalist for the ACC Pitcher of the Year.

Minor Leagues
Farmer was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fifth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft and signed a minor league contract.

Farmer began the 2014 season with the Class A West Michigan Whitecaps, where he made 18 starts, before being promoted to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, where he started two games. Between Class A and Double-A, Farmer was 11–5, with a 2.65 ERA, allowing 101 hits over 115$2/3$ innings with 127 strikeouts and 28 walks. After the season, Farmer was honored as Midwest League Pitcher of the Year.

2014
Farmer made his major league debut on August 13, 2014, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his debut, he pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits, while striking out four, and earning a no-decision. He was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens following his debut. The Tigers called up Farmer again on August 23, 2014, to start the first game of a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins. In his second major league start, Farmer pitched 1$1/3$ innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, while walking two, and striking out three in a 12–4 loss.

2015
In 2015, Farmer made a spot start for the Tigers on May 28, against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, when he allowed seven runs on nine hits in five innings. He was recalled by the Tigers on June 24, 2015. In 12 starts with the Mud Hens, Farmer posted a 3.56 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 22 walks in 68$1/3$ innings.

2016
In 2016, Farmer made the Tigers opening day roster. On April 16, 2016, Farmer was optioned to the Toledo Mud Hens. Farmer was recalled to the Tigers on May 22, after Drew VerHagen was optioned to Toledo that same day. On September 21, 2016, Farmer made his first major league start of the year against the Minnesota Twins, however the game was suspended as a result of rain. In addition to the one start, Farmer made 13 relief appearances for the Tigers in 2016, posting a 4.60 ERA and 27 strikeouts in $29 1/3$ innings pitched.

2017
In 2017, Farmer began the season with the Toledo Mud Hens. On May 26, Farmer received his second call-up of the year to Detroit. On May 27, Farmer started against the Chicago White Sox and recorded 11 strikeouts and zero earned runs giving him his first major league win. Farmer made 11 starts for the 2017 Tigers, going 5–5 with a 6.75 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 48 innings.

2018
With the exception of one spot start, Farmer pitched the entire 2018 season out of the Tigers bullpen. He made 66 appearances, posting a 3–4 record with a 4.15 ERA, while striking out 57 batters in $69 1/3$ innings.

2019
Farmer again filled a bullpen role in 2019, with the exception of one spot start. He went 6–6 on the season with 73 strikeouts in $67 2/3$ innings, while posting career bests in ERA (3.72) and WHIP (1.271).

2020
On January 10, 2020, the Tigers avoided arbitration with Farmer, agreeing on a one-year, $1.15 million contract. In the 2020 season (23 games), Farmer had a 3.80 ERA with 14 strikeouts in $21 1/3$ innings.

2021
On January 15, 2021, the Tigers and Farmer agreed to a one-year, $1.85 million contract, avoiding arbitration. After pitching to a 12.66 ERA in 12 games to begin the season, Farmer was designated for assignment by the Tigers on May 7, 2021. He was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo on May 11. Farmer would return to the big leagues on June 13, as his contract was selected by the Tigers from Toledo. Between send-down and call-up, Farmer made nine appearances out of the bullpen in Toledo, pitching 11.1 innings, and ending with a 3.97 ERA helped greatly by a stretch of four straight scoreless outings immediately preceding his call-up. Farmer struggled to a 6.37 ERA in $35 1/3$ innings for the 2021 Tigers. On August 14, 2021, Farmer was designated for assignment by the Tigers. On August 17, he was released by the Tigers.

Texas Rangers
On August 21, 2021, Farmer signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers organization and was assigned to the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A West.

Cincinnati Reds
On March 16, 2022, Farmer signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. On April 4, it was announced that Farmer had made the 2022 opening day roster. He was designated for assignment on May 6. On May 9, Farmer cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Louisville Bats. Farmer elected free agency and re-signed with the Reds on a minor league contract the next day.

On July 9, 2022, Farmer was selected back to the active roster by Cincinnati. On August 1, Farmer earned his first career save in a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He finished the year having appeared in 44 games for the Reds, posting a 2-2 record and 3.83 ERA with 54 strikeouts and two saves in 47.0 innings pitched. He became a free agent following the 2023 season.

On December 28, 2023, Farmer re-signed with the Reds on a one-year, $2.25 million deal.

Scouting report
Throughout his career, Farmer relied on three pitches: a 91–95 MPH four-seam fastball (tops out at 97 MPH), a mid-80s MPH slider and a changeup. In 2015, he added a two-seam fastball to his repertoire in order to generate more groundballs, a philosophy taught to him by his AAA pitching coach, Mike Maroth.