The Cincinnati Reds announced their first pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, selecting University of Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. Lebron, 21, is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 Draft prospect and was chosen with the 18th overall pick.
Lebron’s Background
A native of South Florida, Lebron put up a batting average of .300 over his freshman and sophomore years at Alabama, reaching a total of 30 home runs and 109 RBIs over 116 games with the Crimson Tide. His contributions on the field helped lead Alabama to its first College World Series appearance since 1999 last month.
At 6 feet, 2 inches tall, Lebron appears to have been selected at least in part by the team for his ability to model after Reds star Elly De La Cruz at shortstop, with Lebron one of the best base stealers across all of college baseball.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
