The Cincinnati Reds have successfully signed high school shortstop Steele Hall, who was the ninth overall pick in the recent MLB draft. Hall, dubbed Alabama's 'Mr. Baseball', completed his contract negotiations in under a week, agreeing to a $5.75 million bonus, which is $763,800 less than the assigned slot value for his pick. This strategic savings will provide the Reds with more financial flexibility to pursue other draft picks, potentially including prep shortstop Ethan Moore and right-hander Myles Upchurch, both of whom are considering college over professional contracts.

At just 17 years old, Hall is noted for his impressive stats from his high school season, where he boasted a .484 batting average, hit eight home runs, and stole 33 bases in 37 games. His early eligibility for the draft places him as a promising prospect, making him the first high school middle infielder from Alabama to be drafted in the first round in over 50 years.