MAKING AN IMPRESSION

Four draft classes that caught our attention for their upside potential

- CARLOS COLLAZO

The draft was held in July for the first time, this year piggybacking with the Futures Game on the Sunday heading into the all-star break.

While it will take years to accurately assess how each team fared in the 2021 draft, it’s never too early to get excited about a few teams that stood out to us right away.

CINCINNATI REDS

First pick: 17th overall

Bonus pool: $11,905,700 (fourth highest)

Perhaps it’s unsurprising for a team with as many high picks as the Reds, who chose 17th, 30th, 35th and 53rd, to make the list of standout draft classes. Still, we loved seeing the up-the-middle bats the Reds drafted early and felt they got several notable values later.

UCLA shortstop Matt McLain (first round) was among the top college position players in a class without much inventory of that demographic. Between him and North Carolina State shortstop Jose Torres (third round), the Reds came away with two of just four college shortstops who ranked among the top 100 draft prospects.

In McLain, the Reds have a potentially plus hitter with plus speed and arm strength to go with it, while Torres was routinely cited as the best defensive shortstop in the class.

The Reds also scooped up three of the highest-rising players in this year’s class, between Florida State catcher Mat Nelson (first supplemental), Virginia lefthander Andrew Abbott (second) and North Carolina outfielder Justice Thompson (sixth).