Pick 23 – Cincinnati Reds
Selection: SP Jaret Wright
The Cincinnati Reds are in the enviable position every front office dreams of: a roster with minimal holes, a farm system that continually produces value, and a team that was a single postseason buzzsaw away from its first World Series title. When you’re this close, the temptation is always there to get cute—to chase upside, swing big, or try to reinvent the roster.
The Reds shouldn’t.
And they won’t.
This is one of the smartest drafting franchises in the league, and with the bats on the board collapsing into a mushy tier of “fine, but not exciting,” Cincinnati stays disciplined and goes with the right move: SP Jaret Wright.
Wright checks every box for what a contender picking in the 20s should target:
- Only 20 years old with time to grow.
- A future three-star pitcher once he fills out.
- 17 stamina—the type of arm that can soak innings without falling apart.
- Two green pitches, giving him a legitimate major-league foundation.
- Strong movement, reducing the volatility you often get at this stage of the draft.
And for Cincinnati specifically, the fit is nearly perfect.
Last season, the back end of the rotation was held together by Danny Jackson and Jim Abbott, two veterans who provided innings but not always comfort. Wright gives them something different: consistency and affordability. He’s not going to push John Smiley or Dante Bichette out of the team photo, but he’s going to do what this club values most—pitch reliable, competitive games every fifth day.
On a team already projected as the favorite in the FL East, Wright isn’t the splashy choice.
He’s the correct choice.
Young. Cheap. Dependable.
Another classic Reds pick—quietly excellent, deceptively impactful, and exactly why this franchise stays near the top of the standings.
Cincinnati doesn’t need fireworks.
Jaret Wright gives them something better: stability with upside.