Cincinnati Reds 2023 MLB Draft Review
See Also: 2023 MLB Draft Database
Draft Theme: Pitchers Who Shoved In The College World Series.
Cincinnati came away with two of the best five or six college arms in the class when they took RHP Rhett Lowder at No. 7 and RHP Ty Floyd—both of whom had excellent performances in the College World Series with Wake Forest and Louisiana State, respectively. Lowder was the best pitcher in the country this spring not named Paul Skenes, and Floyd has both late-season performance and a high-carry fastball to get excited about. The Reds paired organizational needs with talents that fit at their picks.
Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: C Connor Burns, 5th round
Burns earned loud praise for his defense behind the plate at Don Lugo (Chino, Calif.) High and only garnered more as Long Beach State’s starting catcher the last three years. He won the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022 and 2023 and set himself apart as not only the best defensive catcher in the draft class, but one of the best defensive catchers to come through in years. Burns is a plus-plus defender behind the plate who has a chance to win Gold Gloves. He is an excellent athlete who moves well laterally, is an elite pitch-framer with superb hands, blocks tough pitches in the dirt and makes highlight-reel catches on popped up bunts. He shuts down run games with plus-plus arm strength and elite accuracy and has the ability to throw from odd angles and his knees with quickness and precision. Burns’ defense is unimpeachable, but he’s a well below-average hitter who struggles to make contact against premium velocity. He has average raw power and has shown the ability to drive the ball the other way, raising hope he can provide just enough impact to get meaningful playing time with his defense. Burns earns comparisons to elite defensive catchers with light bats like Martin Maldonado and Jacob Stallings. He projects to be drafted on the middle of the draft’s second day.
Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: OF Kyle Henley, 14th round
Henley is one of the fastest players in the 2023 class, a legitimate 80-grade speedster who has a projectable frame and who scouts believe has made improvements as a hitter in the last year or so. Listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, Henley has a lean, wiry build that should be able to add more strength in the future. Henley has solid bat speed and quick hands that drive the ball to the opposite field well, though his overall approach and pure bat-to-ball skills remain fringy. He looked overmatched at times with 90-plus mph velocity and quality breaking balls, but scouts like the mechanics and bat speed of his swing and believe he can make adjustments with more reps and development. He clocked the fastest 60-yard dash at the East Coast Pro, logging a 6.20-second time that was a 10th of a second quicker than the next-fastest runner and is an easy 80-grade run time. That speed plays in all facets of the game: he is quick out of the box, should be a nightmare for pitchers on the bases and it allows him to cover huge swaths of ground in center field, where he has plus defensive potential with more refinement. He projects for average arm strength as well. How confident teams are in Henley’s offensive upside will determine where he slots in the draft, but he has a clear carrying tool in his speed. He’s committed to Georgia Tech.
