With the 7th overall pick in the first round, the Reds drafted right-handed pitcher Rhett Lowder out of Wake Forest University. In 2023, the junior became the second pitcher in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win consecutive ACC Pitcher of the Year awards. He led all NCAA Division I pitchers with 15 wins while ranking fourth in ERA (1.87) and strikeouts (143), helping lead Wake Forest to its first College World Series since 1955.
Lowder was rated the sixth-best player in the draft by MLB.com. The Albemarle, NC, native was the recipient of several awards in 2023, including ACC Male Athlete of the Year, ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Baseball America first-team All-American, Dick Howser Trophy finalist, Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and a member of the ACC All-Tournament Team.
Lowder was widely considered one of the more polished arms in the 2023 draft class. He possess three pitches, including a fastball that touches up to 97 mph and a slider. But the standout weapon in his arsenal is his changeup, rated by many scouts as one of the best in college baseball. The Reds viewed Lowder as a prospect who has the stuff and makeup to quickly make his way through the minors.
In Competitive Balance Round A at the 38th overall slot, the Reds selected another right-handed hurler in LSU’s Ty Floyd. The 21-year-old was 7-0 with a 4.35 ERA in 19 games (17 starts) with 120 strikeouts in 91 innings. This year, Floyd tied the College World Series record for most strikeouts in a non-extra-innings game when he struck out 17 Florida Gators. The Reds were impressed with his command and four-pitch repertoire, which includes an elite fastball. The team saw Floyd as another pitcher that could make his way through the system sooner rather than later.
With their final selection on Day 1, the Reds took 18-year-old Sammy Stafura out of Walter Panas High School in New York. A player that many analysts projected as a possible backend option in the first round, the Reds were thrilled at the opportunity to pluck the shortstop at No. 43. He was high on the Reds’ radar after the 2023 Draft Combine in Phoenix where his athletic skills with the bat, on the bases and in the field were on full display.
