Reds may have spotted something special when others passed on Justin Lebron

The Cincinnati Reds selected Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron with the 18th overall pick in the 2026 draft after he slid from being a potential top-five prospect due to an underwhelming junior season. The Reds gave Lebron an over-slot bonus and assigned him to High-A Dayton, where the 21-year-old has produced eight home runs, six steals, and a .298/.344/.631 slash line with a 139 wRC+ in 20 games. While Lebron displays elite five-tool potential with impressive power and speed, he's also striking out over 25 percent of the time and has made six errors in 165 innings, reflecting the raw nature of his skill set. His early professional success confirms both his high ceiling and the swing and defensive issues that caused his draft slide.

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