The Reds used the opening day of the 2026 MLB Draft to stockpile talent across the diamond, and the first four rounds gave Cincinnati five new names to track.
It started with a familiar kind of draft buzz: at No. 18 overall, the Reds took Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, a player many considered the best available when Cincinnati was on the clock. MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds was especially high on the pick, and the Reds are clearly betting Lebron can be a cornerstone piece.
Cincinnati kept leaning into the infield from there. In the second round, the Reds added Virginia shortstop Eric Becker, who hit .317 for the Cavaliers this season. That kind of production is exactly the sort of bat this organization has been chasing.
The next second-round pick brought another college bat into the mix, with UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu going to the Reds at No. 70 overall. The official MLB Draft X account listed Levu as the 62nd-best prospect in the class, which gives Cincinnati another intriguing name to follow.
The Reds didn’t wait long to address the mound, either. Their first pitcher of the day was Nebraska right-hander Ty Horn, selected in the third round. Horn appeared in 22 games for the Cornhuskers in 2026, starting 12 of them, and finished with a 3-3 record, one save and a 4.03 ERA.
Cincinnati closed out Day 1 by adding another arm in East Carolina left-hander Ethan Norby. Norby made 14 starts in 2026, went 7-3 and posted a 4.08 ERA, while also picking up one save.
That’s the first wave of the Reds’ draft haul. Rounds five through 20 are set for Sunday, when Cincinnati will keep building out what it hopes is the next core.
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