Reds found their insurance plan after selecting risky prep star in 2026 MLB Draft

The 2026 MLB Draft is now in the books, and the Cincinnati Reds will add 21 fresh faces to their farm system if they all sign on the dotted line. Cincinnati has just under $11 million in bonus pool money to spend, and one of their top picks — shortstop Dylan Bowen — might command an expensive over-slot deal.

Fortunately, it would seem that the Reds hedged their bets and added another high-upside pick in the 18th round. With the 542nd selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, Cincinnati chose Moeller High School graduate Matt Ponatoski.

The likelihood of the Reds signing both Bowen and Ponatoski is slim-to-none. Both players have college offers on the table, and Ponatoski is committed to play both baseball and football for the University of Kentucky. But if Bowen and the Reds fail to reach an agreement, look for Cincinnati to back up the Brink's truck in order to convince Ponatoski to sign with his hometown team.

Matt Ponatoski is the Reds' backup plan if they can't sign Dylan Bowen

For those who don't understand how the draft process works, each team is given an allotted amount of money (bonus pool) to spend for signing players. Each draft position for Rounds 1-10 is assigned a specific "slot value". It's up to the team and player to negotiate terms — over, under, or at slot value — and any savings the team may incur can be used to sway late-round picks to sign.

In this instance, the Reds likely have a somewhat firm commitment from Bowen, otherwise they probably wouldn't have taken him with their fifth-round pick. But, if the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, look for Cincinnati to pivot and offer a handsome sum of money to Ponatoski in an attempt to lure him away from his commitment to UK.

The slot value for pick No. 154 — where Bowen was selected — is $463,200. The Reds should be able to gather some bonus pool savings after taking Tyner Horn in Round 3, Duncan Marsten in Round 6, and Damian Ruiz in Round 9. If Cincinnati can cobble together enough money from those three picks, they'll likely be able to convince Bowen to sign an over-slot deal.

If that happens, look for Ponatoski to put his baseball dreams on hold for the time being. The Cincinnati prep star is slated to join new UK football coach Will Stein and be part of the Wildcats' quarterback room next season. He'll also join baseball coach Nick Mingione and be part of Kentucky's pitching staff next spring.

The MLB signing deadline is July 27, so Reds fans will know the fate of all 21 draftees within the next couple of weeks.

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