Reds Draft: 3 prep position players Cincinnati should target in Round 1

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CINCINNATI, OH – MAY 14: A close up view of a hat and baseball glove in the dugout with the New Era logo before a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

The Cincinnati Reds have the No. 17 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Unlike the NFL or the NBA, most players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft won’t make an immediate impact, and it can take upwards of four years for some of the best high school talent to find their way onto a major league field.

However, some of the best potential can be found in the high school ranks. Last summer, the Reds selected Austin Hendrick with their first-round pick and the power-hitting outfielder has shown a lot of promise. Which top prep prospects might the Reds target in the first-round of the 2021 MLB Draft?

1. The Reds could select Pennsylvania outfielder Benny Montgomery.

The Cincinnati Reds have an affinity for prep players from the state of Pennsylvania. If the speedy Benny Montgomery is still available when the Reds pick at No. 17, Nick Krall and the Cincinnati front office might be all over the toolsy outfielder from Lewisberry.

Montgomery possesses elite speed. The outfielder is a plus defender who has above-average power as well. The concern with Montgomery is his swing and miss potential, something that scouts see from a lot of high school prospects.

Montgomery, who attends Red Land High School, has committed to play for the University of Virginia next season, but a first-round slot would likely be enough to dissuade the 18-year-old from his college commitment.

Benny Montgomery has elite tools across the board, and there’s a good chance that the prep star is off the board by the time Cincinnati makes their selection in the middle of Round 1. After drafting Austin Hendrick and Michael Siani out of the state of Pennsylvania in recent years, it’s a good bet that the Reds’ scouts have their eyes on Montgomery.

OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 03: A detailed view of a catchers mask. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

2. The Reds could snag catching prospect Joe Mack.

Tyler Stephenson is getting his feet wet behind the dish this season, and has the look of the Cincinnati Reds catcher of the future. But, it’s always good to have a backup plan. Joe Mack is one of the most well-rounded catching prospects in this year’s draft, and with so little position depth in the farm system, perhaps Nick Krall takes chance on Mack in Round 1.

With Stephenson graduating to the big leagues, the Cincinnati Reds have just one catching prospect among their Top 30 according to MLB Pipeline. Last year’s draftee Jackson Miller is ranked 13th in Cincinnati’s farm system.

Mack does it all. He can hit for power, make contact, and has cannon for an arm behind home plate. Like many catchers, he does not have elite speed, but that should not be a concern if the Reds are on the lookout for a backstop.

The left-handed hitting Mack has verbally committed to attend the University of Clemson. The Reds have shown in the past that they’re not afraid to take a high school catcher; see Tyler Stephenson, Devin Mesoraco, and the recently drafted Jackson Miller.

There’s another catching prospect that may whet Cincinnati’s appetite, and that’s North Cobb High School’s Harry Ford. Ford has more speed than Mack, but may profile as more of a second baseman or even a centerfielder in the future. If the Reds are looking for a backstop, Joe Mack is it.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 26: A broken bat lays on the ground. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

3. The Reds could select the power-hitting Joshua Baez.

Joshua Baez has the type of power that makes major league scouts salivate. Baez is one of the youngest players in the 2021 MLB Draft having just turned 18 years old in late June. Like a good majority of power-hitting high school players, there’s a lot of swing and miss in Baez’s bat, but there’s a ton of round trippers in there as well.

Baez is committed to play for Vanderbilt University, but it’s a good bet that a first-round selection and compensation could sway Baez away from the Commodores. The right-handed hitting Massachusetts high school product can drive the ball to all fields and oftentimes, over the fence.

Baez has a 97-MPH fastball as well, but his position is most likely going to be center field when he reaches the professional leagues, though a lack of elite speed might transform the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Baez into a corner outfielder. With that cannon for an arm, Baez could find a home in right field.

Will Taylor of Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina is another prep prospect to keep an eye on, but he doesn’t possess near the power that Baez has, relying more on his elite speed. However, Taylor is a multi-sport athlete who’s slated to attend Clemson in the fall and may not be fully committed to baseball.

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If the Cincinnati Reds are looking for the type of player similar to Austin Hendrick, whom the team elected to take in the first round last year, then Joshua Baez is the guy. The Reds will have plenty of prep players to scout prior to the 2021 MLB Draft, but Baez, Joe Mack, and Benny Montgomery would all look pretty sweet in a Cincinnati Reds uniform.

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1. The Reds could select Pennsylvania outfielder Benny Montgomery.

2. The Reds could snag catching prospect Joe Mack.

3. The Reds could select the power-hitting Joshua Baez.

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