Reds Lock In First Round Pick Justin Lebron

Top MLB prospects, including Reds' Justin Lebron, make headlines with lucrative signing bonuses in the 2026 Draft.

Three of the top names from the 2026 MLB Draft are already off the board financially, with Trevor Condon, Jacob Lombard and Justin Lebron each agreeing to deals worth at least $5 million.

Condon, a high school outfielder taken No. 13 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals, signed for a $5,161,300 bonus, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis.

The Miami Marlins followed by landing high school shortstop Jacob Lombard at No. 14 and giving him a $5 million bonus, according to reporter Francys Romero. Then came the Cincinnati Reds’ first-rounder, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who also secured a $5 million bonus, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.

Those signings mean the Cardinals, Marlins and Reds have now wrapped up their top picks from the draft. A few other clubs moved just as quickly, too, including the Chicago White Sox, who handed UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky a record-setting $10.35 million bonus, and the Atlanta Braves.

All three players were highly regarded going into the draft. MLB Pipeline ranked Lombard as the No. 5 overall prospect, Lebron ninth and Condon 13th. Condon was the first of the trio to come off the board, and the 18-year-old brings a 60-rated hit tool and 70-rated speed on MLB Pipeline's 20-to-80 scouting scale.

Lombard’s name also carries some family recognition. He is the younger brother of George Lombard Jr., the New York Yankees' top prospect. Jacob Lombard was selected 12 spots earlier than where the Yankees picked his older brother in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Lebron arrives with a strong college résumé from Alabama. This season, he hit .277 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and 42 stolen bases in 61 games. In 2025, he posted a .316 average with 18 homers, 72 RBIs and 17 steals in 59 games for the Crimson Tide.

With Condon, Lombard and Lebron all going within a six-pick stretch, their names are likely to be linked for a while. Their pro careers could be starting before long.

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