Cincinnati Reds Second Round Pick Exploding Onto Scene in First Professional Season

The Cincinnati Reds selected high school shortstop Tyson Lewis with their second-round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and gave him a signing bonus of over $3,000,000.

Since beginning his first full season of professional baseball, Lewis has done nothing but impress with the ACL Reds.

The 19-year-old has hit home runs in back-to-back games in Arizona and is slashing .344/.386/.541 with 10 extra-base hits.

In his ACL Reds debut, Lewis hit a ball at 119.4 mph, the hardest ever recorded by anyone in the Reds organization during the Statcast era, surpassing Elly De La Cruz’s 119.2 mph.

MLB Pipeline ranks Lewis as the Reds' ninth-ranked prospect.

"A left-handed hitter with a quick stroke, Lewis was hitting the ball harder and having more success driving it during his senior year of high school compared to the past," MLB Pipeline wrote. "As the power started to come, he did get a little pull-happy to get to it more, leading some to worry about strikeouts. He’s a tinkerer with his stance but has the chance to be a solid hitter with at least average power in the future."

With all of his success in the Arizona Complex League, I wouldn't be surprised if the Reds decide to move Lewis up to Low-A Daytona soon.