Reds select RHP Ty Floyd, SS Sammy Stafura to round up night one of MLB Draft

If you thought the excitement of the MLB draft was over after the Reds selected Rhett Lowder, you were sorely mistaken. There were two more picks to be made by the Reds, and they got right to pickin’, with selections in Competitive Balance Round A and Round 2.

Competitive Balance Round A (Pick 38) - Ty Floyd, RHP, LSU

The Reds used their competitive balance round pick to go after another college pitcher who looks to be a fast mover, as they went with Ty Floyd, a right handed pitcher out of LSU. Floyd’s draft stock rose last month after an incredible performance in the College World Series. He struck out 10 Wake Forest betters over 5 innings of work in a 3-2 loss, then turned around and struck out a record 17 batters against the University of Florida in game 1 of the College World Series finals.

Floyd threw 91 innings in his junior season at LSU, going 7-0 and putting up a 4.35 ERA with a 37/120 BB/K. He allowed 16 home runs this season and struggled some with his command in his career, but had plenty of dominant outings that showed some true upside. His fastball sits in the mid-90’s and was hitting 97-98 in the CWS. He also has an above average slider and will mix in a curve ball and changeup. Hopefully he can continue to work out some of those control concerns and move through the Reds’ system quickly.

Round 2 (Pick 43) - Sammy Stafura, SS, Walter Panas HS, New York

After going the college route for their first two picks, the Reds selected high school shortstop Sammy Stafura. Stafura, a Clemson University commit, is a strong, athletic infielder who can hit the ball all over the field. He is very fast and solid defensively. He can hit for power and is considered a 5-tool player by many scouts.

Stafura’s athleticism and strength gives him a lot of upside, but as a high school prospect from New York, he didn’t play in the most competitive league this Spring. Because of this, there are some questions about how his hit tool might translate to the professional level. But, he’s strong, can hit for power, and is good enough defensively that he can hopefully find a spot in this organization.

The 2023 MLB Draft resumes Monday at 2:00 PM EDT with rounds 3-10. The Reds will have the 4th pick of round 3 with pick number 74.