​The Cincinnati Reds carried out five selections during the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. Their first choice came at 18th overall, when they selected Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron on Saturday. Lebron earned recognition as a Second Team All-American from both Perfect Game and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, according to a Reds spokesperson. In the past season with Alabama, he hit .277, connected for 16 home runs, drove in 48 runs, and swiped 42 bases across 61 games. “His physical ability is tremendous; he can impact the game in so many different ways, and he combines real power with elite speed,” commented Joe Katuska, the Reds’ Director of Amateur Scouting. “Above all, he’s a great kid. We have strong confidence in the athlete he is and the player he’s going to become.” MLB.com had Lebron ranked as the ninth-best player in the draft and Baseball America listed him as the 19th-best draft prospect. In addition to Lebron, Cincinnati also selected infielder Eric Becker from Virginia, first baseman Mulivai Levu from UCLA, right-hander Tyler Horn from Nebraska, and left-hander Ethan Norby from East Carolina.