Reds’ draft picks send a loud message about Terry Francona’s future

The Cincinnati Reds drafted a pair of college arms in Round 1 the past two years. Rhett Lowder was Cincinnati's first-round selection in 2023 and Chase Burns was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

This year, however, the Reds flipped the script and went with Steele Hall — a high school shortstop — in Round 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft. Cincy then followed up their first-round pick with prep pitcher Aaron Watson in Round 2. Neither player should be expected to make an impact at the Major League level until at least 2029, if not later.

But it's not as if there weren't some impact players available when the Reds made their selection at No. 9. College bats like Ike Irish (Auburn) and Marek Houston (Wake Forest) were still on the board, as were top-flight hurlers like Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma) and Jamie Arnold (Florida State). Any one of those players has the ability to be fast-tracked to the majors, much like the Reds have already done with Lowder and Burns.

Reds’ draft picks send a loud message about Terry Francona’s future

Most Reds fans view Terry Francona's tenure in Cincinnati as a short one, and that's understandable. The future Hall of Famer, who just picked up win No. 2,000 ahead of the All-Star break, is 66 years old and has already retired once due to health concerns.

If, however, Francona was viewed as a short-term solution to Cincinnati's managerial situation, the Reds may have been a bit more aggressive with their first and second-round draft picks — looking to draft prospects who are more mature and able to contribute to the big league roster sooner.

There is the other side of the coin, in which the Reds now have increased Minor League depth with the additions of Hall and Watson and decide to shop some of their top prospects at the MLB trade deadline.

With an increased number of shortstops and pitchers in Cincinnati's farm system, perhaps Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall will now feel better about the idea of trading prospects like Edwin Arroyo, Sammy Stafura, or even Chase Petty.

Francona signed a three-year contract prior to the start of the 2025 season and there's an option for a fourth year. While it would be presumptuous to assume that Tito will manage much beyond the 2028 season, the Reds draft strategy seems to reinforce that Cincinnati's skipper will at least be sticking it out in the Queen City for the next few seasons.

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