The Reds got the first pitcher in the draft – albeit the seventh player overall. The Reds selected Texas Christian left-hander Nick Lodolo. It is the longest the draft has gone without taking a pitcher.
Lodolo, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound junior, went 6-6 with a 2.36 ERA in 16 starts for the Horned Frogs. He struck out 131 and walked 25 in 103 innings. He held opponents to a .203 batting average.
“There’s a lot to like about Nick Lodolo," said Dick Williams, Reds president of baseball operations. "He’s left-handed, and he’s big. He can throw hard. He’s got a four-pitch mix, so our guys think he has a very good chance to stay a starter.