The Reds opened the 2026 MLB Draft by going big on infield talent, then kept stacking up options with five selections on Day 1.
The headliner was Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who came off the board in Round 1 at No. 18.
Cincinnati then doubled up on shortstops with Virginia infielder Eric Becker in Round 2 at No. 58.
By the end of the day, the Reds had added five players with different paths and different ceilings, and the early read is that the first two picks could end up defining the haul.
Lebron is the name that jumps off the page. He was once viewed by several scouts as a candidate to go first overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, and if that version of him shows up in pro ball, the Reds may have landed a steal.
The concern follows him too: contact has always been the question, even if the rest of the package is loud. That mix earns him a B-.
Becker brings a different profile. He’s a left-handed hitter who leans more toward contact than power, and while he spent much of last season at shortstop for Virginia, third base could be in his future if his raw power starts to play. He gets a B, and among the Reds’ Day 1 group, he may be the safest bet to reach the majors even if the long-term role ends up looking more like a utility infielder.
Cincinnati’s third selection came in Competitive Balance Round B with UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu at No. 70.
Levu’s bat is built around power, and his left-handed swing gives him a chance to do damage. The swing-and-miss risk is real, though, and he’ll need to trim down the chase if he wants to get to the big leagues.
Still, the upside is obvious enough to earn a B+.
The Reds didn’t get to a pitcher until Round 3, when they took Nebraska right-hander Tyner Horn. He’s viewed as a bit of a tweener, with a future that may fit better in the bullpen than in a rotation.
Even so, Cincinnati will give him a shot to prove he can stick as a backend starter. That lands at a C-.
They finished Day 1 with East Carolina left-hander Ethan Norby at No. 122. Norby’s fastball sits in the low-90s, and the most common projection has him ending up as a reliever in the majors, though some scouts still see a possible backend starter.
Overall, the early consensus is that Cincinnati did well with the top of the class. Lebron carries the boom-or-bust label, and his rise will depend on whether he can handle top-tier pitching.
Becker looks like the steadier bet. Levu brings the kind of power that can change a lineup fast.
And Horn and Norby give the Reds more arms to sort through as the draft class starts to take shape.
In Other News...
Reds Fans May Hate Whos Emerging As A Deadline Casualty
The All-Star break has arrived with the Reds in a familiar spot for a club trying to sort out its next move, and the trade deadline is quickly turning into a referendum on how much of the roster should be preserved. Cincinnati has not gotten the kind of return it wanted from recent additions Eugenio Suarez and Nathaniel Lowe, which has only sharpened the sense that this is a team more likely to reshape than reinforce in the coming days.
Among the names drawing attention, Spencer Steer stands out because he gives a contender a little of everything: a useful bat, a steady profile at the plate and the kind of defensive flexibility that plays in July. He has been one of the more dependable pieces on a roster under review, which is exactly why his situation feels so uncomfortable for Reds fans as the front office weighs whether to cash in on value or keep a player who still fits just about anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Sent A Clear Day 1 Draft Message
The Reds came out of the first day of the 2025 MLB draft with a clear organizational theme, using five selections to load up on up-the-middle talent and add depth on both sides of the ball. Cincinnati opened by taking a pair of college shortstops, then kept building with a first baseman, a right-handed pitcher and a left-hander as the board unfolded.
The mix says plenty about how the club wanted to attack Day 1: add athleticism, keep the pipeline moving and give the front office multiple ways to shape the class from here. The Reds also used their competitive balance pick as part of the haul, and the early run of selections gives them a foundation that should be easy to evaluate once the full draft class is complete. [Read more 🡒]