The Cincinnati Reds came out of the first day of the 2025 Major League Baseball draft with five new names, and the board gave them a little bit of everything: upside, polish, contact ability, and a couple of arms to round things out.
Their opening stretch covered the 1st through 4th rounds, plus a competitive balance pick that came after the second round. The rest of the draft - rounds 5 through 20 - is set for Sunday.
Cincinnati’s biggest swing came right away at No. 18 overall, where the club took University of Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. It’s the kind of pick that comes with a wide range of possible outcomes.
Lebron brings power potential, speed, a strong arm and the chance to develop into an above-average shortstop. At the same time, there are real questions about how much he’ll hit, and whether the bat will ever get him to the power or even all the way to the majors.
The Reds stayed in the college shortstop lane with their next selection, taking Eric Becker out of the University of Virginia at No. 58 overall. Becker entered the year with a strong draft reputation, but an injured hand and a month missed because of that injury knocked him off course.
His numbers never matched what he had done over the previous two seasons, and that pushed him down boards. He’s more of a hitter than a power source, and while he’s sure-handed and makes the plays he reaches at shortstop, he may fit better at second base.
If he gets back to the version of himself teams saw before the injury, this could turn into a very strong pick.
Cincinnati then used its competitive balance pick on UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu. As a small-market club, the Reds get one of those extra selections each year, alternating between after the first round and after the second.
This year it landed after Round 2, and the Reds used it on a bat that kept getting better in college. Levu showed more power each season at UCLA, and his hit tool may actually grade out a little better than the raw pop.
In his junior year, he walked nearly as often as he struck out and hit .340 for the Bruins. Some teams thought he might get a look at third base, while others see him as a first baseman only.
Either way, the bat is going to decide how far he goes.
The Reds didn’t wait long to address the mound, taking Nebraska right-hander Tyler Horn in the third round. In a draft class that has been light on pitching, Horn stood out more for being steady than flashy.
Nothing in his scouting report jumps off the page, but nothing is really lacking either. He worked as a starter for all three of his college seasons, though he did move to the bullpen this year after opening the season in the rotation.
Once he shifted into relief, his fastball jumped from topping out around 95 to 98 mph. He’s a five-pitch arm who could still get a chance to start, but he’ll need to sharpen something to stick there.
If not, the bullpen may be where he fits best.
Cincinnati closed Day 1 with left-hander Ethan Norby from East Carolina, selected in the fourth round at No. 122 overall. Norby is a shorter lefty who spent most of his college career in the rotation and piled up strikeouts, finishing with 313 in 239.2 innings.
The run prevention numbers were more modest - a 4.08 ERA in 2026 and 3.91 for his career - but the pitch that makes him especially interesting is his slider. It’s one of the best in the draft, with elite spin rates.
The rest of his mix is more average, but getting a pitcher with that kind of breaking ball in the fourth round, along with the ability to throw strikes, gives the Reds a pretty intriguing arm to work with.
Day 2 begins Sunday at 11:30 a.m. with the final 16 rounds. The Reds are expected to add 14 or 15 players who will eventually sign, and players taken in the top 10 rounds are generally viewed as safe signings because teams lose that slot value if they don’t get them under contract.
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