Nine prospects to watch for the Reds' pick in Sunday's MLB Draft

New York Times

11-07-2025

CINCINNATI — A year ago, the Cincinnati Reds didn't sweat too much about whether they'd get the player they wanted with the No. 2 pick in the Major League Baseball draft. If their top choice wasn't available, their second choice would be.
The Cleveland Guardians selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana No. 1 last July, and the Reds pounced on Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns. He made his fourth big-league start Thursday.
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The Reds own the ninth pick in the 20-round, two-day draft that begins on Sunday. That doesn't change their scouting process; they're just less certain to get one of their top two choices.
Unlike recent drafts, there's less obvious separation between the top players available. Last year had a consensus top two (not including Burns), and the year before, five players were considered to be at the top of the draft board. This year? There's little consensus, even going into the last days of draft prep.
For the first time in three years, it seems unlikely that the Reds will select a right-handed pitcher from Wake Forest with their first pick.
With that off the table, here are nine players who could be in play with the ninth pick:
Arnold was third in strikeouts in college baseball as a sophomore, behind Burns and Hagan Smith of Arkansas. Arnold's strikeout rate dropped a bit and his walk rate went up a tick in 2025, but he still went 8-2 with a 2.98 ERA for Florida State, the same mark he put up the year before. He has a lower arm slot than most pitchers, earning him comparisons to Chris Sale.
The 6-foot-5 Hawaiian may outgrow shortstop, but he's still an advanced hitter with a good plate discipline. After starting his career at Washington, Arquette transferred to Oregon State, where he helped lead the Beavers to the College World Series, hitting .354/.461/.654 with 19 home runs. As impressive as those statistics are, it should be noted that the Beavers didn't have a conference schedule because of the implosion of the Pac-12 and were forced to find games where they could, while the majority of college baseball teams were in their conference schedule.
Bremner walked just 19 batters in his junior season for the Gauchos while striking out 111 in 77 1/3 innings. He went 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA as a sophomore, before going 5-4 with a 3.49 ERA as a junior. UC Santa Barbara also produced Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber, as well as current Reds hitting coach Chris Valaika.
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The first of two players from Corona High on this list, Carlson has been clocked up to 97 mph on the mound. That cannon of an arm paired with a silky smooth glove makes him a sure bet to stick at shortstop, but the bat will ultimately decide just how good he can be.
Of all the players here, Doyle could help a big-league team the soonest. The 6-foot-2 Doyle struck out 42.6 percent of the batters he faced for the Volunteers this season, relying on his upper-90s fastball. Doyle started his college career at Coastal Carolina before transferring to Mississippi for his sophomore year and then on to Tennessee. Doyle is high-energy on the mound, to say the least.
"LIAM DOYLE'S A MAD MAN!"
The team that drafts Liam Doyle is getting one fiery dude 🔥
(📽️: @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/Z3THYS2boC
— MLB (@MLB) June 3, 2025
The top high school pitcher in the draft, Hernandez has reached triple digits with his fastball, but his changeup may be the better pitch. There's always risk in drafting pitchers out of high school, but Hernandez has an elite arm.
Irish put up an OPS of 1.060 in three years in the Southeastern Conference, which tells you he can really hit. Named the Tigers' starting catcher to begin his junior year, he suffered a fractured scapula when he was hit by a pitch right before SEC play started. Irish barely missed any time but moved to the outfield. Without catching duties, he mashed, including during a weekend series against Texas in which he hit four homers. On the season, he hit .364/.469/.710 with 19 home runs. He could move through the minor leagues quickly in the field, but could be a star behind the plate.
Parker and his twin brother, Jacob, are likely to hear their names called Sunday. JoJo is a shortstop, while Jacob is an outfielder. JoJo is seen as the top high school hitter in the class but isn't a sure bet to stick at shortstop.
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The right-hander, who, like Parker, has a twin brother who could also be drafted, went 10-5 with a 2.65 ERA in 16 starts for the Sooners. His five-pitch mix is highlighted by his fastball that reaches 99 mph. After starting his career in junior college, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he went 8-3 with a 3.71 ERA in his first year in Norman. He cut his walk percentage from 11.2 percent in his first year with the Sooners to 5.5 percent in his second season, en route to a 10-4 record and a 2.65 ERA.
(Top photo of Ike Irish: The Montgomery Advertiser)