Cincinnati Reds Drafted Well, Pressure Now Shifts to Development

Reds draft picks received high praise, but the work is only beginning

May 24, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest pitcher Chase Burns (29) starts against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the ACC Baseball Tournament at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports

The more I read about it, the more I like the Cincinnati Reds' 2024 draft class.

It begins with Chase Burns at No. 2. Sure, he isn’t Charlie Condon, but he may be exactly what the Reds need for the future. Keith Law believes he will be a fast mover (in fact most people who analyze the draft say this), multiple analysts think Paul Skenes when they think of Burns (though they believe he’s not as far along in his development as Skenes was when he was drafted), and it flows with the organizational plan.

Getting a top flight pitcher to come to Great American Ballpark is hard. Even guys who the Reds have previous ties with (Sonny Gray) aren’t rushing back to pitch in the bandbox. So you must draft and develop good pitching. 

The Reds have gone to the Wake Forest well for pitching the past two years. Much has been reported on the Wake Forest pitching factory that they have and even Burns acknowledges it.

“Yeah that pitching lab they have there is no joke,” Burns said. “(I was) able to get in there and work with all the new technology that baseball is moving to. It helped me move better and work on the mental game and elevate my game.”

The Reds are getting a guy who already has a high floor.

Then, in the ensuing rounds, the Reds grabbed pitcher Luke Holman and outfielder Mike Sirota. Both had first round grades attached to them before this most recent college baseball season. Both players experienced some struggles in that season that knocked them down a peg, but clearly something is there for them to have earned a high grade in the past.

The Reds have spent time and money rebuilding their development system over the last four years. This is the type of class that will test that reorganized group. Many scouts love what these players have done to get to this point. Now it’s on the Reds to ensure they reach their potential.

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