It did not take long for the Cincinnati Reds to come to terms with their 1st round pick from last weekend’s MLB Draft. Justin Lebron, a shortstop out of the University of Alabama, fell to the Reds at pick #18, and Cincinnati was ecstatic that the college player with perhaps the single most upside in the entire draft fell right into their laps.
The Reds have signed Lebron to a reported $5 million bonus, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, going slightly over the slot value of $4.6955 million to do so.
Lebron entered the 2026 season with some folks suggesting he’d be the #1 overall pick in this summer’s draft, but despite all the tools in the world his play slumped a bit against Southeastern Conference pitching after a hot start to the year. Still, his elite combo of light-tower power, 70+ grade speed on the bases, and ability to play plus defense at the infield’s most premium position made those brief struggles an afterthought for Nick Krall & Co. at pick #18, and Lebron’s future became tied to that of the sporting future of the state of Ohio.
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Lebron. Contract talks. The state of Ohio. It’s all truly coming together.
Welcome to the Reds, Justin!
Here’s a list of other players with whom the Reds have already reached agreements so far:
