Recent Mock Draft has Cincinnati Reds Landing Top College Bat

In a recent mock draft, the Cincinnati Reds target a promising college shortstop prospect.

The Reds have a variety of ways they can attack the number nine pick in the draft. Depending on how some players fall, the Reds could get either a bona fide pitching prospect or a college hitter with a high floor as a prospect.

In the most recent staff mock draft by Baseball America, the Reds select shortstop Aiva Arquette from Oregon State. The writer representing the Reds from Baseball America was Geoff Pontes.

Arquette is rated as Baseball America’s N0. 5 prospect in this draft. He is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and made the switch from second base to shortstop as he transferred from Washington to Oregon State for 2025.

He slashed .354/.461/.654 while smashing 19 home runs last year. He also struck out a career-best 17.5% of the time. For reference, MLB average strikeout rates sit around 22%.

Arqueete has a powerful swing from the righthand side of the plate and scouts grade him with plus-raw power. On top of his swing, he showed improved pitch recognition as he jumped his walk rate up from 7.4% in 2024 to 12.6% in 2025. 

Scouts say he moves well for his size but is not a threat to be a base stealer. He is seen as a shortstop, long term, but if his size determines that he should change positions then his arm is very good and would play well at third base.

Baseball America has him as the top college hitter in this draft, just ahead of another player that was mocked to the Reds recently. There is a strong chance that, with his profile, Arquette will not be there for the Reds at number none, though.

This would be a slam dunk pick if he fell to Cincy, though.

You can see the full mock draft here.