The Cincinnati Reds drafted a pair of college arms in Round 1 the past two years. Rhett Lowder was Cincinnati's first-round selection in 2023 and Chase Burns was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
This year, however, the Reds flipped the script and went with Steele Hall — a high school shortstop — in Round 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft. Cincy then followed up their first-round pick with prep pitcher Aaron Watson in Round 2. Neither player should be expected to make an impact at the Major League level until at least 2029, if not later.