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.
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:
