Reds: 5 MLB Draft prospects that should be on the shortlist

2. Ole Miss pitcher Gunnar Hoglund should be on the Reds’ shortlist.

If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re correct. I expect a college pitcher to rank very high on the Cincinnati Reds’ shortlist, and Gunnar Hoglund is one of the best. Were it not for an elbow injury that required Tommy John earlier this season, Hoglund wouldn’t even be an option for Cincinnati at No. 17.

But, with the injury sidelining Hoglund until next season, the Reds could find the University of Mississippi product amenable to a below-slot deal, allowing the club to save up for a big-time addition with the 30th or 35th pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Hoglund’s injury likely means that the right-hander will come at a discount. We saw the New York Yankees use the same strategy with Clarke Schmidt when Brian Cashman and his crew selected the right-hander with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft just months after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Hoglund was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2018 MLB Draft, but decided too attend Ole Miss instead. He was mentioned in the same sentence with Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter as one of the top arms in the Southeastern Conference until he injured his elbow earlier this spring.

At 6-foot-4, Gunnar Hoglund fits the prototypical size that teams look for in starting pitchers nowadays. Prior to his injury, Hoglund was consistently sitting in the low-to-mid 90s and his slider has a wicked break to it. With a developing changeup, Hoglund could develop into a back-of-the-rotation starter if he is able to return from Tommy John surgery.