Reds grab prep catcher Long in Round 12

After a run of selecting six straight pitchers in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the Reds picked catcher Shedric Long out of Jacksonville High School in Alabama in the 12th round.

Long is a left-handed batter who throws right-handed. At various camps, his arm velocity clocked in right around 90 mph.

"A bunch of our scouts have seen Shedric play and felt he has the tools for that position," said Chris Buckley, Reds senior director of amateur scouting. "Very aggressive player, but we think he has a good makeup to be a catcher."

At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, the 18-year-old certainly looks the part, and he was invited to the Power Showcase Home Run Derby last summer, where he hit one wood-bat homer an estimated 418 feet. However, Buckley said Long excels as a line-drive hitter who looks to get on base a lot.

Although Long is committed to play college ball at Northwest Florida State, Buckley said he's expressed an interest in starting his professional career, which is one of the reasons the Reds were drawn to him.

"The game is a lot about your physical tools, but there's also a lot of intangibles here that are very important," Buckley said. "He has a strong desire to get started, so that's something we really like to hear."