Reds Awarded Compensation Pick in Future MLB Draft

Major League Baseball announced that 15 teams were awarded compensation picks for the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft.

The Cincinnati Reds are one of the teams that were awarded one of those picks.

"Since 2017, Major League Baseball has used a formula that combines revenue, winning percentage and market score to award Draft picks to teams that fall in the bottom 10 in revenue or market size," MLB.com wrote." In 2025, there were 15 teams awarded picks in the two CB rounds: eight in Round A and seven in Round B."

"This year, there are 15 teams: seven in Round A and eight in Round B."

The Reds will get the fourth pick in Round B.

In case you're not familiar with how competitive balance rounds work, competitive balance round A is between the first-round and second-round picks. Competitive round B is held after the second round of the draft.

The top of the 2026 Draft won’t be set until the MLB Draft Lottery plays out on Dec. 9. But the overall Draft order is beginning to take shape, now that the Competitive Balance rounds are set.

Since 2017, Major League Baseball has used a formula that combines revenue, winning percentage and market score to award Draft picks to teams that fall in the bottom 10 in revenue or market size. In 2025, there were 15 teams awarded picks in the two CB rounds: eight in Round A and seven in Round B.

This year, there are 15 teams: seven in Round A and eight in Round B.

Competitive Balance Round A takes place between the first-round compensation picks and the second round, while Round B is held after the second round is over. The order of the picks within each round is determined by order of finish in the previous year’s standings, best down to worst.

That order is as follows:

Round A:

1. Guardians
2. Royals
3. D-backs
4. Cardinals
5. Orioles
6. Pirates
7. Rockies

Round B:

1. Brewers
2. Mariners
3. Tigers
4. Reds
5. Marlins
6. Rays
7. A's
8. Twins

You can see MLB.com's full article on the picks here.