Reds start Day 2 with college OF Spillane

Cincinnati picks five right-handed pitchers on Tuesday

June 5th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- After making their first three selections on Monday night, the Reds made eight more picks on Day 2 of the 2018 MLB Draft.
• Draft Tracker: Follow every Reds Draft pick
The Reds took Florida third baseman Jonathan India with the fifth overall pick to begin the draft, followed by right-handers Lyon Richardson and Josiah Gray at Nos. 47 and 62, respectively.
• Day 1 recap: Reds take India at No. 5 overall
Tuesday consisted of Rounds 3-10. Here is a pick-by-pick look at who Cincinnati drafted on Day 2 of the MLB Draft.
Round 3: OF Bren Spillane, Illinois
Cincinnati started Day 2 with Spillane, who hit 23 home runs, slashed .389/.498/.903 and drove in 60 runs in 50 games this season for Illinois. He struck out 57 times and drew 36 walks in 175 at-bats. Spillane was named 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year and is the highest-drafted position player in program history.
"It has been an honor," Spillane said. "That is something you dream of when you get to Illinois, to go down as one of the highest-drafted players."
Spillane has plus power and has been a core producer in the Illini lineup.
"I would like to shorten up my swing a little bit," Spillane said. "I think that goes hand in hand with strikeouts. Pitch selection is another thing. I know there will be a lot of good pitchers with good stuff. You are going to have to have a really good game plan going up there to be successful."
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Spillane was announced as an outfielder, but he played third base for the Illini in 2018, as well as right field during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
"He is a very athletic kid," Reds vice president for amateur scouting Chris Buckley said. "We have seen him play first base and the outfield. He is definitely athletic enough to stay in the outfield in right or left and has big power.
Spillane was also named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's National Player of the Year. The slot value for this selection is $716,000.
Round 4 (109th overall): OF Mike Siani, William Penn Charter School (Penn.)
Siani is a University of Virginia commit with impressive speed and athleticism in center field. The left-handed hitter batted .361 and stole 19 bases in his senior season and was named Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year last week. He committed to the Cavaliers as a freshman.
Buckley thinks Siani is the best athlete the club drafted on Tuesday.
"He's been on the scene for quite a while now, so we saw a lot of him last summer," Buckley said. "We were thrilled he was still up there. He has a chance to be a complete player."
Round 5 (139th overall): RHP Ryan Campbell, University of Illinois-Chicago
Campbell went 8-3 with a 1.53 ERA in his senior season for the Flames. He struck out 68 and walked 19 over 94 innings while yielding 16 earned runs. Campbell has a heavy-sinking two-seam fastball that sits between 90-93 mph with a changeup and slider mixed in. His offspeed stuff is still developing and something he's been working to get more consistent with
"I kind of mixed up my slider grip from the year before and I think my changeup may be better than my slider," Campbell said. "I feel like they have both gotten better with every start pretty much."
The slot value of the selection is $382,900.
Round 6 (169th overall): RHP Yomil Maysonet, P.J. Education School (Puerto Rico)
Listed at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, Maysonet is a right-hander out of Carolina, P.R., with a fastball that features good sinking action. Maysonet was named to Perfect Game's Puerto Rico/Canada all-region first team and is committed to Miami-Dade Junior College
"He has been one of their more high-profile guys," Buckley said. "Big guy, good arm. His breaking stuff has to improve, but he is a young guy that wants to get started. Good body and good arm. We are excited."
Round 7 (199th overall): C Jay Schuyler, San Diego
Schuyler is listed as a catcher and hit .342 with seven home runs and 38 RBIs in 55 games during his junior season at San Diego. He struck out just 30 times and drew 24 walks. Schuyler is 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, and played mostly first base while batting cleanup this season. He has also played in the outfield.
Round 8 (229th overall): RHP Matt Pidich, Pittsburgh
Pidich is right-hander who throws a lot of strikes. He stuck out 99 and walked 26 over 91 1/3 innings in 2018. Pidich sits between 89-92 mph with his fastball and also has a cutter, curveball and changeup, which is his best pitch. Pidich went 6-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts during his senior season.
Round 9: (259th overall): RHP Andrew McDonald, Virginia Tech
McDonald fluctuated between the rotation and the bullpen his first three seasons at Vriginia Tech before moving into a relief role full-time as a senior. He made 29 appearances and allowed 27 earned runs in 54 2/3 innings, striking out 67 batters and walking 27.
"He came to our workout the other day and is quite impressive," Buckley said. "We knew we wanted to get him."
McDonald is a Cincinnati area native and attended nearby Mason High School.
Round 10 (289th overall): RHP A.J. Moore, Kennesaw State
Moore anchored Kennesaw State's weekend rotation as a senior. He posted a 5-3 record with a 3.24 ERA, striking out 87 batters and walking 47 over 80 2/3 innings. Moore has a tall frame at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, with a fastball that sits between 88-93 mph, as well as a changeup and a slider. He was a starter all four years while also making sporadic relief appearances as a freshman.
Moore was the fifth pitcher (all right-handers) the Reds selected on Tuesday.
"We got a lot of pitching today," Buckley said. "Usually, as you go deeper, some of those guys tend to wind up in the bullpen. But we think some of this group has a chance to start. We tried to round it out and be balanced."
The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at noon ET.