Reds staying flexible with No. 9 pick, eye 'best player available' in Draft

CINCINNATI -- Picking ninth in the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday, who the Reds will end up selecting is more up for grabs than when they took Chase Burns last year with the second overall pick.

That hasn't altered the approach for Cincinnati's scouting department as it formulated its plan.

"We’re scouting all of the players and spending our time on the top guys and developing depth throughout the Draft," said director of amateur scouting Joe Katuska. "There’s a lot less certainty, obviously, at nine. I think this year’s Draft class, there’s a little bit less certainty about the order of the players at the top. So, it’s been a little more challenging in that regard.”

The only thing close to an assumption the Reds can make is that left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson from LSU and high school shortstop Ethan Holliday aren't likely to fall to No. 9.

“Probability-wise, I don’t think those two are getting through," Katuska said. "I see pathways for just about everyone else that’s ranked up high to be at our pick or move past our pick -- to move around a little bit. It’s going to be interesting."

The most recent mock draft by MLB.com's Jim Callis predicted that high school shortstop Billy Carlson from California could be Cincinnati's selection at No. 9, but it's also possible the club could wind up with high school pitcher Seth Hernandez from California, college pitcher Kyson Witherspoon from Oklahoma or JoJo Parker, another high school shortstop from Mississippi.

Going back to Matt McLain in 2021, the Reds' first pick in each Draft has come from the college ranks. It often means a quicker path to the big leagues, with those players needing more polish than development.

However, it's not a team edict to select exclusively college players in the first round.

“Still really focused on the best player available and someone we can develop on their own timeline," Katuska said. "It’s nice that Chase and Rhett [Lowder in 2023] got to the big leagues as quickly as they did, but we expected that.”

The Reds have a total pool of $11,836,800 to spend, which is 15th most in the Major Leagues this year. They have a slot value of $6,513,800 for the ninth pick and $1,891,200 for the 51st selection in Round 2.

• Day 1 picks: 9, 51
• Bonus pool allotment: $11,836,800 (15th in MLB)
• Last year’s top pick: RHP Chase Burns (No. 2 overall) ... The Reds' No. 1 prospect and No. 2 overall per MLB Pipeline, Burns needed only 13 pro starts across three levels before making his big league debut vs. the Yankees on June 24. With High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville, Burns had a 1.77 ERA while hitting triple-digits with his fastball and throwing a superb slider.
• Breakout 2024 pick: SS Tyson Lewis (No. 51 overall) ... Ranked as Cincinnati's No. 9 prospect, the lefty hitter out of Millard West High School in Nebraska didn't play after being drafted last year, so he is in his first pro season with the ACL Reds. His numbers are already impressive. Lewis entered the week of July 7 slashing .341/.388/.533 (.921 OPS) with five homers. He also brings speed on the bases (13 steals) and covers a lot of ground at shortstop.

Held during All-Star Week in Atlanta, the Draft remains a 20-round process, but this year, it's a two-day event rather than three days as in past years. That means the Reds will have to be nimble.

“It’s a little bit of a different format, more compressed," Katuska said. "So, it’s really important that we are lined up and prepared going into the Draft because we don’t have as much time to change directions or be flexible once the picks actually start coming off the board.”