Cincinnati Reds 2025 Draft Pick Opens Up on Tough Start to Professional Career

The Cincinnati Reds drafted Kien Vu out of Arizona State in the ninth round of the 2025 MLB draft. He was an All-American in college and put up excellent numbers offensively for a self-proclaimed defense-first player, batting .351 with a 1.062 OPS, 25 home runs, and 98 RBIs in his three years.

He made his professional debut shortly after signing with the Reds, and his first week did not go as he had hoped. He went 0-10 with six strikeouts and only reached base once via a hit-by-pitch.

“Yeah, I mean, that first week was brutal," Vu said. "I've told so many people about that. Going 0-10, I probably had seven or eight strikeouts. I mean, you can imagine how much doubt was in my mind after that Sunday game. It's an incredible feeling, because you're just like, I don't think I've been at a lower point recently when it came to baseball. So yeah, I mean, going through that, it was tough."

“I sat down with the sports psychologist that the Reds got, and I was just like, what's going on? And he really calmed my mind. Then I started journaling a little, and there are a few things that I worked on to start that Tuesday game. And my dad had flown out, I think. I don't know if he saw how much I was struggling or if he already planned to come out, but he came out, which was awesome. And then, yeah, just trying to flush it. It happens to everyone.”

He went on to win the Player of the Week for the Florida State League the next week. He slashed .467/.600/.867 with six of his seven hits being extra-bases. He also had six RBIs, five runs scored, three walks, and a stolen base. He hit his first professional home run on August 21 and finished the season with four. In 23 games, he hit .273 with a .903 OPS. 

You can see our interview with Kien Vu below and listen to it on audio here: