Cincinnati Reds Could Add Another Ace-Level Pitching Prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft

There are a couple of names to know when it comes to the Cincinnati Reds’ first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. One of them is the best prep pitcher out there, assuming he falls to Cincinnati’s spot.

The Reds hold the ninth pick in this year’s draft which has them looking at one of the best college hitters on the board, as well as a few other players that could raise the organization’s future profile. Many scouts have said this class isn’t necessarily top-heavy but it is deeper than most on impactful prospects.

Right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez out of Corona High School in California has been consistently linked with the Reds. He is seen as the second-best prospect in this draft, according to Baseball America, but may fall closer to the Reds because of his longer development timeline.

The Reds have had the fortune of seeing their last two first round picks make it to the big leagues the first year they played professional ball, but this potential pick would break that trend.

Hernandez has been seen as the top prep pitcher in this draft for a few years. Some scouts believe him to be one of the best prep pitchers that has been draft eligible for at least the last decade. 

On an overall scouting scale of 20-80, Baseball America rates Hernandez as a 65, which means he could be a potential ace. With pitchers this young, though, there is always plenty of risk of whether that pans out.

He has the best stuff in the draft class, according to multiple scouts. He has a fastball that has a velocity that sits in the mid-90’s easy and touches 100. He pairs that with a changeup that sits in the low-80s for a great one-two punch. Both of those pitches are rated 70 on the 20-80 scale. He also has a slider and a curve that he mixes in.

Scouts love his mechanics and see an easy delivery that could develop plus command and control.

Some believe Hernandez may not make it out of the top-five picks, but the Reds have been routinely linked to him to the point that if Hernandez is there, that is who the Reds will pick.