Takeaways from the Reds’ 2023 MLB Draft selections

CINCINNATI — The Reds accomplished the three-day 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday, but they’ve runt time to exhale after selecting 21 avid gamers.

Now the job begins to salvage contracts accomplished with as many avid gamers as that it’s seemingly you’ll recall to mind and to salvage their skilled profession started on the personnel’s advanced in Goodyear, Ariz., and then, expectantly, the Minors.

“We’ll salvage them signed,” Reds beginner scouting director Joe Katuska said. “We ought to cling guys touring to Goodyear and starting up the job rapidly. After we figure out their ramp-up and salvage them lend a hand in game shape, we’ll salvage them on to active rosters stunning fast.”

Here are four takeaways from the Reds’ efforts within the Draft.

1. Selected pitchers had been starters or relievers that would moreover be converted to starters
Cincinnati completely loaded up on pitchers — 13 of them — fair cherish any organizations ticket once a year. The membership mixed it up, because it chosen righties, lefties, vitality palms and these with evolved skill with their secondary pitches — cherish top opt Rhett Lowder.

“In truth searching for to acknowledge what every particular person guy’s strengths are and knowing how that matches in. We don’t need fair all pitchability guys or all stuff guys,” Katuska said. “We’re searching for to cling a blend of it and perceive the set aside they match and the intention we are in a position to create every guy individually.”

The unifying element all of the pitchers cling is a starting up pitcher profile.

“If we miss, we’re searching for to miss to the bullpen, but we fabricate no longer in point of fact cherish drafting relief pitchers straight out of the gates,” Katuska said. “The handiest relievers are most incessantly developed as starters. You are searching for to originate with the starting up pitcher profile, and that’s going to be three pitches and shipping and arm motion that’s conducive to address the workload.”

2. College athletes accounted for hundreds of choices
Of the 21 avid gamers chosen, 16 had been from college and five had been high schoolers. In 2022, 18 of the Reds’ 22 choices came from colleges. 

There are a few the the clarification why college avid gamers are extra stunning to teams. Their signing bonuses are on the total smaller because high college avid gamers cling the negotiating leverage of a college commitment if they fabricate no longer attach. College avid gamers also on the total cling an inform route by player construction to the massive leagues.

“It’s good to take a look at into the financials. We’re working with a [bonus] pool,” Katuska said. “We gained’t dawdle over that and lose a first-rounder next 300 and sixty five days. Heaps of them, you is more doubtless to be feeling great extra at ease slotting them into the machine and getting their skilled careers started than a few of the most high college guys that will steal reasonably longer to salvage going.”

3. Stafura became once pivotal
The Reds extinct their 2nd-round opt (No. 43 overall) to steal high college shortstop Sammy Stafura on Sunday evening. Stafura, who has a college commitment to Clemson, became once the No. 32-ranked Draft prospect by MLB Pipeline. Taking him affected how the rest of the personnel’s Draft board became once dealt with. 

“We had been in point of fact angry to salvage him. We didn’t utter he’d serene be on the board when we made that option, so that became once a nice surprise,” Katuska said. “Whenever you steal a high college shortstop, it perhaps deprioritizes a few of the most opposite [picks]. You ought to be ready to be particular you would possibly cling taking part in time for all of them of the components by. 

“We’re constantly about [taking the] handiest player on hand, and [player development] has been mighty communicating with us. They constantly snort us we are in a position to figure out a vogue, but we ticket must perceive they cling to play to create. Guaranteeing we earn guys who match into the machine is the biggest.”

4. Two-intention player among Day 3 picks
When the Reds extinct their 17th-round opt to steal JeanPierre Ortiz out of Chipola College in Florida, they listed him as a two-intention player. Ortiz, who went to the same junior college as 2022 Reds first-rounder Cam Collier, pitches and plays shortstop. The membership scouted him exhausting when Ortiz played in high college for IMG Academy. 

“He determined to head to Chipola and withhold Draft eligibility this 300 and sixty five days,” Katuska said. “He’s a in point of fact appropriate defensive shortstop. The bat has improved smartly over the final 300 and sixty five days. We’ve considered him pitch a couple times. He’s very pure on the mound for a man who has no longer pitched great. He gets it in point of fact fast. We hope we are in a position to connect him. No doubt no guarantees appropriate now.”

If Ortiz does attach, the Reds explore him as a shortstop and would prioritize that.  

“It’s constantly easier to meet up with a pitcher. To create as a hitter, you will cling got to salvage these fixed at-bats,” Katuska said. “If the game tells him pitching is the simpler option, I feel he’s originate to it.”