The Reds passed on Derek Jeter in the 1992 draft, but they didn’t pass on Florida high school shortstop Jeter Downs.
The Reds selected Downs, named after the Yankees legend, with their competitive balance pick, No. 32 overall. In 1992, the Reds took catcher Chad Mottola with the fifth overall pick and the Yankees took the future Hall of Famer with the next pick.
“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was 10 years old,” Downs said Monday night. “It has finally come and it still feels so surreal. I don’t even know what to say right now.