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

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.

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.