​The 2026 Major League Baseball draft kicks off this afternoon, and we’re fully tuned in for all of it. Scouting and selecting young talent with limitless potential has long been the Reds’ lane, offering a glimpse of a brighter future after years of watching the present give way to promise on the horizon. Today, Cincinnati gets its next shot to shape that future, starting with the first pick at number 18 overall. Over the course of Saturday, they’ll add five more selections as the draft moves through Round 1 and into the Compensation Rounds, Competitive Balance Rounds A and B, and all the way through Round 4.
NBC/Peacock will carry live coverage of the action beginning at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. We’ll be tracking every choice made by Nick Krall, Brad Meador, and the rest of the Reds’ decision makers, and we’ll highlight any surprises that pop up as the day unfolds. We’ll also begin to map out which future Reds are entering the farm system in real time.
So, who might the Reds target at pick 18? Could Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron fall to them, offering a tantalizing infield option if the chips align? Might Cincinnati again lean toward projectable college arms like Florida’s Liam Peterson or Coastal Carolina’s Cameron Flukey, pitchers whose ceilings suggest rapid development? Or could Georgia high school shortstop Trevor Condon slip through the cracks and become the franchise’s pick at number 18?
Historically, the Reds have shown versatility with their approach. Last year, they selected Steele Hall ninth overall, a choice that reflected their willingness to gamble on a young talent with an advanced feel for the game. Hall was technically a high school senior this year, but Cincinnati’s assessment suggested he could have been a top overall pick had he not chosen to push back his eligibility. The team has mirrored that kind of balance before—Cam Collier in 2022, whose path to the system echoed that mix of youth and potential.
On the mound, Cincinnati has leaned toward more polished arms, opting for pitchers they believe can move quickly through the minors and toward a big-league impact. Think of Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder in previous cycles, arms with strike-throw ability and a chance to contribute sooner rather than later. The organization has also shown a knack for blending that with position-player polish, as Matt McLain illustrated in 2021, when the Reds targeted a player who could weather the minors’ ladders with a clear trajectory toward the majors.
In short, the Reds have not locked themselves into a single blueprint; instead, they’ve adapted to the board in front of them. That adaptability will be the guiding thread again as they approach the 18th pick and the rest of Saturday’s decisions. They won’t have the luxury of selecting any player they want at the top of the draft this time around, so the evaluation, projection, and game plan will need to be precise, timely, and aggressive.
Stay tuned as we begin to uncover the Reds’ strategy in real time. We’ll provide continuous analysis of each pick, assess how the newcomers might fit into Cincinnati’s broader minor-league framework, and break down what these selections could mean for the organization’s path back to sustained success. Follow along with us for ongoing coverage and expert breakdowns as the 2026 draft unfolds and new future Reds begin their journeys in the farm system.