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HOOVER, AL - MAY 21: Infielder Justin LeBron #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws the ball to first base during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide on May 21, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds used the #18 overall pick in Saturday’s MLB Draft to select shortstop Justin Lebron out of the University of Alabama. Ranked 9th overall on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top draft-eligible prospects in the class, the 6’2” 190 lb right-handed hitter boasts a 70 grade on his speed, 60 grade on his power, and 60 grades on both his arm and fielding.
After hitting .338 as a freshman and .316 as a sophomore for the Crimson Tide, Lebron saw his rate stats drop across the board as a senior. Still, he hit .277/.386/.534 in 285 games with 16 homers and 42 steals, flashing the kind of power/speed combo that had him long in the mix for the potential top overall pick in this year’s draft before sliding late.
The biggest question with Lebron, though, is whether he’ll be able to hit breaking pitches better than he has so far. He struggled to just a .230 average in SEC games this season as the pitching in the best conference in the country adapted to how to pitch him, and that’s obviously something he’ll need to work on going forward. The rest of his game, however, looks 100% the part of a top-tier talent.
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