Reds score Competitive Balance pick but Draft Lottery luck disappears

The Cincinnati Reds’ season ended with the kind of mixed emotions their fans know all too well. On one hand, they broke through and reached the postseason — a step forward for a young, exciting roster that looks built for more October shots in the near future.

On the flip side, that postseason appearance barely had time to breathe. The Los Angeles Dodgers shoved the Reds right back out of October almost as soon as they walked in.

Now the winter comes with its own little contradiction: Cincinnati grabbed a valuable Competitive Balance pick, but any hope of Draft Lottery magic vanished with that playoff berth.

How the Reds’ playoff push traded Draft Lottery odds for a bonus pick

By reaching the postseason, the Reds took themselves out of lottery territory altogether. It doesn’t matter how fast they were shown the exit, there are no ping-pong balls in their future. Cincinnati is locked into the No. 19 pick in the first round, like it or not.

But there’s also good news. The Reds have officially earned a Competitive Balance Round B pick, awarded to smaller-revenue or smaller-market franchises as a way to keep the talent pipeline flowing. It’s baseball’s version of a “we know you’re trying” bonus, and the Reds, with their notoriously limited spending power, remain one of the clubs eligible for it.

This pick will slot between the 74th and 75th overall selections, falling immediately after the second round. The exact number could shift slightly depending on the results of the draft lottery for the top six picks, but the Reds’ position within Round B is already locked in.

A wrinkle worth keeping an eye on. Competitive Balance picks can be traded.

That means Cincinnati suddenly has one more piece of currency as they survey the offseason. Maybe they use the pick to add another high-upside prospect to a farm system already dripping with athleticism and bats. Or maybe they get aggressive and flip it — either for pitching depth, a controllable veteran, or a more immediate roster upgrade.

Sure, the Draft Lottery luck is gone. Sure, the Reds will pick 19th regardless of what happens with the ping-pong balls. But walking away with a bonus selection (one they can use or move) is quietly a win for a team looking to turn last year’s progress into something more permanent.