CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds made five selections in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.
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The Reds selected Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron with the team’s first pick (18th overall) on Saturday.
Lebron was a Second Team All-American by both Perfect Game and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), according to a Reds spokesperson.
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He hit .277 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 61 games for Alabama this past season.
“His physical ability is tremendous; he can impact the game in so many different ways, and he pairs real power with top-end speed,” said Joe Katuska, Reds Director of Amateur Scouting. “Above all, he’s a great kid. We believe strongly in the athlete he is and the player he’s going to become.”
MLB.com rated Lebron as the ninth-best player in the draft and the 19th-best draft prospect by Baseball America.
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.
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