Reds: 3 college players to target in Round 2 of 2023 MLB Draft

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The Cincinnati Reds began Day 1 of the 2023 MLB Draft with a bang. Rhett Lowder was the team's first-round selection at No. 7, and Cincinnati added another college starter at No. 38.

Right-hander Ty Floyd of LSU was the Reds' second selection on Sunday night, and the Reds were able to snag uber-talented New York high school shortstop Sammy Stafura with their second-round pick.

The 2023 MLB Draft will restart later today, and with the Reds owning eight selections on Day 2, there are sure to be several talented college players still available when Round 3 begins at 2 PM ET. Who are some college players that Cincinnati may target on Day 2 of the draft?

1. Reds should target OF Homer Bush Jr. on Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft.

The Cincinnati Reds grabbed a pair of pitchers and another shortstop on Day of the 2023 MLB Draft, so perhaps it's time to snag an outfield bat. Grand Canyon's Homer Bush Jr. would be a fine addition to the Reds farm system.

The son of former major leaguer Homer Bush, the Antelopes' outfielder made huge strides in 2023. After hitting just .270/.347/.349 in 2022, Bush Jr. showed a huge upswing in his production at the dish this season.

Bush Jr. slashed .370/.478/.500 with 24 extra-base hits and 41 RBIs. The 21-year-old also swiped 25 bags for GCU en route to a spot in the NCAA Tournament. While known more for his speed and his glove than his bat, Bush Jr. has power, but has yet to really tap into it.

Homer Bush Jr. ranks among the Top 100 draft prospects according to MLB Pipeline, and the Cincinnati Reds have the 74th overall selection in Round 3. The Reds also pick at No. 105 in Round 4. Bush Jr. is surely at or near the top of the Reds' board with Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft set to begin later today.

2. Reds should target RHP Tanner Witt on Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft.

This would be an intriguing scenario. Tanner Witt had first-round stuff coming out of high school in 2020. But instead, Witt attended college at the University of Texas and, as a freshman, worked 28 relief appearances out of the Longhorns bullpen.

The sky was the limit for Witt after recording over 70 strikeouts in 57 innings during his freshman season. Unfortunately, Witt suffered an elbow injury during the outset of his sophomore season that required Tommy John surgery.

Witt returned to the mound this season for Texas, but started only six games and had an ERA above 10.00. That's never what you want to see as a scout, but if the Reds believe that Witt can return to the type of pitcher that was viewed as frontline starter before his elbow injury, then perhaps Cincinnati will take a flier on the soon-to-be 21 year-old.

This would be a high-risk/ high-reward selection on the part of the Reds' brass. After landing the safest pick in the draft with Rhett Lowder in Round 1, Cincinnati can afford to go big with Tanner Witt in Round 3 of the 2023 MLB Draft.

There is a caveat, however. Witt has one year of eligibility remaining. If the Cincinnati Reds are unwilling to match Witt's signing bonus demands, he may decide to return to Texas for his senior season.

3. Reds should target LHP Hunter Owen on Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft.

You can never have enough pitching, right? If that's the case, the Cincinnati Reds may want to add another hurler in Round 3 or 4 in order to help solidify the team's pitching depth for years to come. Vanderbilt's Hunter Owen would be a terrific addition to the Cincinnati farm system.

There is a bit of mystique when it comes to Owen, as the left-hander missed several starts due to what MLB Pipeline calls an specified ailment. But Owen still started 12 games and racked up 76 strikeouts in 64 innings of work for the Commodores this season.

Owen had served as a reliever for Vanderbilt for his first two seasons in Nashville, but earned a spot in the starting rotation in 2023. The goal would obviously be to stretch out the 21-year-old over the next few seasons in pro ball and eventually deploy him as a top-flight starter in the big leagues.

If the Cincinnati Reds are looking for upside, they're not going to find a pitcher with much more of it on Day 2 than Hunter Owen. Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin and his pitching factory in Tennessee is well regarded as one of the top universities when it comes to putting hurlers into the major leagues.

There are still some talented high school players available as well, but with some extra cash likely headed toward second-round pick Sammy Stafura, it may behoove the Reds to target some college players on Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft.

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