Reds Make Aggressive Move With 2026 Second Round Pick

The Cincinnati Reds have begun to assign most of their most recent draft picks from the 2026 draft. Their second-round pick was assigned on Thursday and the destination may surprise you.

Eric Becker Has Been Sent To The High-A Dayton Dragons

Becker was drafted in the second round out of the University of Virginia and was one of the last Reds' picks to sign. Drafted 58th overall, he signed for $1.65 million. According to Baseball America, he's the Reds' eighth-ranked prospect.

“Becker is a fundamentally sound shortstop and left-handed hitter who has been the engine for Virginia’s lineup since his freshman year." Baseball America says about Becker. "At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Becker has a loose and easy operation at the plate. He has a clean left-handed swing that goes directly to the ball and leads to line-drive contact all over the field."

His assignment to High-A may be a bit of a surprise given the Reds' recent track record of being cautious with draft picks. Last season, the Reds' college picks were sent from the Arizona Complex League to Low-A. Kien Vu was sent to High-A to begin the 2026 season after playing in Low-A to finish last season and is currently in Double-A.

In 141 games at Virginia, Becker slashed .348/.448/.600 with 24 home runs, 46 doubles, and 13 stolen bases. Being assigned to High-A is promising for the Reds. With the lack of production at second base at the Major League level, he could be a factor in the next couple of seasons if he progresses in the right direction.

The question remains, where will the Reds' first-round pick, Justin LeBron, be assigned? He was sent to the ACL along with all of the other picks after signing. Does he start in High-A, or could he potentially make his debut at Double-A? He has the tools to do so, but the Reds should be somewhat cautious with him given his potential.

The Reds Promote Promising Pitching Top Prospect

Great American Ballpar — Apr 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of the ballpark as the sun sets after the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another move the Reds have listed in their transaction log is the promotion of Top-30 prospect Edgar Colon to High-A Dayton. Colon has electric stuff. According to TJStats, his fastball has an average velocity of 96 miles per hour and has reached triple digits. His strikeout percentage is in the 85th percentile, his wxOBA is in the 90th percentile and his fastball velocity is in the 98th percentile.

This season, Colon is 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings. In his season debut in Low-A, he pitched five innings with two hits, two walks and three strikeouts. In his next start, he pitched six innings with one hit, one walk and 10 strikeouts. He does struggle with command at times, but the 20-year-old has a ton of potential.

"Colon has future rotation potential if he can improve his command." MLB Pipeline said about Colon. "Right now, he leans heavily on his fastball-split-change combination. It's a plus heater that currently sits around 96 mph and touches 98 mph, getting outstanding induced vertical break on the pitch to elicit strong swing-and-miss rates. He can kill spin and gets good horizontal action on his upper-80s changeup that also can miss bats. His slider thrown at about the same velocity continues to improve."

He is currently the Reds' 28th-ranked prospect.

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