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

3. Florida outfielder Jud Fabian should be on the Reds’ shortlist.

If the Cincinnati Reds are looking for a college bat, Jud Fabian could be their guy. The 20-year-old is one of the younger college players in this year’s MLB Draft. Fabian is a boom or bust type of player who has ridiculous power, but scouts question whether or not he’ll make enough contact to show that power off. This would be another below-slot option that could help the Reds later in the draft.

Fabian had an up and down season at the University of Florida, but seemed to end on a high note. There were times when Fabian looked like a lock to go in the Top 10, and others when some scouts thought the outfielder would fall out of Round 1 all together. Fabian is a mixed bag, but if he gets it right, he could be an impact player in the majors.

At this spot in the first-round, especially given the fact that Cincinnati has two picks prior to the second-round, it seems like as good a time as any to roll the dice. Fabian will never be mistaken for Billy Hamilton, but he has enough speed to field center field and gets good reads off the bat.

Fabian has fringe-five tool talent, but his struggles earlier this season certainly impacted his draft stock. Prior to the 2021 season, many scouts thought of him as a Top 5 pick. That talent just doesn’t disappear. If Fabian can regain that swing that saw him hit .294 with eight doubles, six home runs, and 16 RBIs prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, he’ll be a welcome addition to the Reds farm system.