Former Reds' First Round Draft Pick Poised to Build on 2025 Success

CINCINNATI – 2025 was an all-around improvement for the 24-year-old outfielder Austin Hendrick.

Hendrick was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. COVID-19 caused him to miss his senior season of baseball and his draft-year season of pro ball. He debuted in 2021 and slashed .211/.380/.388 with seven home runs and 16 doubles in 63 games in Single-A with Daytona. In 2022, he was promoted to High-A halfway through the season. He hit 14 home runs with a .759 OPS with Dayton in 73 games.

2023 was a down year overall. His home run total remained the same, but he played in 52 more games. His OPS dropped to .606, his average dropped 18 points, and he struck out a career high 185 times. He was promoted to Double-A the following season for 2024, where his average dipped below .200 and he had a career-worst OPS at just .531. He remained in Double-A for 2025, and that's where he started to see progression.

2025 saw a career high in batting average, his best slugging season since 2022, and his best OPS since his debut season in 2021. He had some big moments this season as well. On July 4, he had a 4-4 game with two home runs, five RBIs, and a walk-off single. In the playoffs, he had another four-hit game, going 4-4 with a double and two RBIs. In the Lookouts’ final game, he went 2-5 with a home run and three RBIs.

His teammates think the world of him. In a conversation I had with Trevor Kuncl, his teammate in Chattanooga, he had nothing but nice things to say.

"He is the greatest human being ever," Kuncl said. "He is the nicest dude, you just want nothing but success for him."

He has yet to receive a non-roster invite to Spring Training, but I believe he will. He will potentially start the season with Triple-A. If he can build on his season from last year, we may finally begin to see the player the Reds saw when they drafted him almost six years ago.

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