Reds see massive growth ahead for 17-year-old Draft pick Hall

CINCINNATI – Alabama high school shortstop Steele Hall is still only 17 years old and one of the youngest players in the 2025 MLB Draft class. But that didn't deter the Reds from being high enough on Hall to select him with the No. 9 overall pick on Sunday night.

Hall, MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 Draft prospect, was initially slated to graduate from Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) High School in 2026, but he decided to reclassify last November so he could move up his timeline by a year.

"If you stacked him up against juniors out there, we thought that if you lined him up at the end of the summer and into next year's Draft, he might be a guy you're talking about at the No. 1 overall pick," Reds amateur scouting director Joe Katuska said.

"That's what we do when we project these players – we're talking about what they are at the big league level. Obviously [with] a younger kid, we're not surprised to see significant gains year after year with them, and that's what we saw over the course of the year every time we saw him."

A right-handed hitter who is athletic with plus-plus speed and defensive skills, Hall has drawn comparisons to Trea Turner, who went 13th overall in the 2014 MLB Draft.

"I think it's hard to put those sort of expectations on a player. You're talking about a guy who signed a $300 million contract at the big league level. But that was the comp that got brought up in our room with our group," Katuska said.

"Dansby Swanson was one. Trea Turner was one. That type of player that is ultra-athletic, can run, can throw, can play defense and provides value with the bat, as well as a leadoff type of guy. That's how we saw Steele and what ultimately led us to be comfortable with the pick."

The University of Tennessee commit boosted his MLB Draft stock considerably during his final prep season, adding 15-20 pounds to his 6-foot frame and showing improvement on both sides of the ball. He was named Alabama’s Mr. Baseball after hitting .484 with eight homers, 46 runs scored and 35 RBIs.

Some scouts rated Hall with an 80 for his speed, the highest on the 20-80 scale.

“I think I am the fastest in the Draft. Yeah, the fastest," said Hall, who turns 18 on July 24. “The fastest 60 I’ve ever ran was, I think, it was a 6.1, 6.0, I think.”

Did Hall think he could beat current Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz in a race?

“I think so, yeah. I think I could," Hall said.

Assuming Hall signs with Cincinnati, the slot value for the ninth pick is $6,513,800.

“It means a lot, thanking [the Reds] for taking a chance on a 17-year-old, and it’s an honor,” said Hall, who was already wearing a Reds cap during his Zoom interview. "Going to the workout in Cincinnati, moving around and talking to everybody, I think that’s when I first knew they were pretty much on me.”

According to Hall, thoughts of reclassifying to an earlier class came from the University of Tennessee during a campus visit. At first, he and his parents were opposed to the idea.

As things progressed, the option became more appealing.

"It kept getting brought up by more and more people that we like and trust in baseball circles," Hall said. "We did a pros and cons list to it, really, 'What are the benefits and what are the negatives to do or not do it?' Me and my parents gathered a ton of information, and we really didn’t find any negatives … to not do it. So I said, 'Let’s do it. Let’s put all the cards in one deck and let’s go.' Let’s roll.”

Reds scout J.R. Reynolds, who covers portions of Alabama, led the coverage for watching Hall play and learning his makeup.

"He's a good kid. He likes to compete," Katuska said. "Kind of mild-mannered off the field, but once you get him between the lines, he's fiery. He likes to go."

Hall’s bat remains a work in progress, and he could stand to add more strength, but the Reds plan is to stick with him at shortstop.

"We think he's a shortstop, he has power, he can hit, he can really throw," Katuska said. "It's a five-tool package that we think we've got there. We're very excited about him."

During his hometown Draft watch party, Hall and his parents became emotional when his name was called.

"It was a little bit of a sigh of relief, but also I kind of teared up a little, so a lot of happiness happened," Hall said. "And I thought it was cool, and [I] definitely wanted to be a Cincinnati Red."