Cincinnati Reds 2019 MLB Draft: Rounds 31-40

Today will be rounds 11-40 of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. This post will contain all of the information for each one of the Cincinnati Reds selections from rounds 31-40 of the draft. It will be updated throughout the day as each pick comes in. Things get underway at 12pm ET. Each 10-round segment will have it’s own post.

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Quick hit links and information:

• Baseball America’s Top 500 (subscription required)
• MLB Pipeline Top 200
• Fangraphs Top 442

While there is slot money tied to picks in the Top 10 rounds, there isn’t in the day three picks for rounds 11-40. Sort of. Picks in this range can be signed up to $125,000 without it counting towards the bonus pool. However, anything spent on a pick taken in rounds 11-40 over that $125,000 amount does count towards the draft pool. For all of the scouting reports for the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft, click here.

You can follow along with the conference call at MLB.com. You can also follow along with the MLB Draft Tracker right here.

Cincinnati Reds Round 31 Selection: C Justin Gomez

Background information:

• School: Azusa Pacific University
• Position: Catcher
• Height: 5′ 10″
• Weight: 195 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Justin Gomez Scouting Report

The catcher threw out 35% of attempted base stealers in his career at Azusa Pacific in his four years. But those numbers were heavily weighted towards his first two seasons when he threw out 28 of 60. As a junior and senior he threw out just 15 of 64. At the plate he improved his power each year. He showed a solid controlling of the strikezone in his career, walking more than he struck out for his time in college.

College Stats

Cincinnati Reds Round 32 Selection: RHP Danny Serreino

Background information:

• School: Rowan University
• Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
• Height: 6′ 3″
• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Danny Serreino Scouting Report

His fastball has touched 97 MPH, but he is more of a low-to-mid 90’s guy. He also shows a breaking ball (see video below). Consistency with throwing strikes has been a bit of an issue.

College Stats

Cincinnati Reds Round 33 Selection: LHP Trey Clarkson

Background information:

• School: Mesquite High School (AZ)
• Position: Left-handed Pitcher
• Height: 6′ 4″
• Weight: 205 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Left

Trey Clarkson Scouting Report

He currently throws in mid-80’s with his fastball, though there’s projection and plenty of it for him to gain velocity. He also throws a curveball in the low-to-mid 70’s.

Cincinnati Reds Round 34 Selection: OF Jason Hodges

Background information:

• School: Marist High School (IL)
• Position: Outfield
• Height: 6′ 3″
• Weight: 215 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Jason Hodges Scouting Report

Ranked as the 235th best prospect in the draft by Baseball America, Jason Hodges selling tool is his big time power, which grades out as plus-plus raw power. At 6′ 3″ and 215 lbs. the right-handed hitter is a physical specimen already and he could get bigger and stronger. There are some concerns about how much he’ll hit, though, as he’s struggled at times to handle solid pitching in high school. He profiles more as a left fielder, though right field is a possibility for a team that doesn’t require big time arm strength at the spot.

Cincinnati Reds Round 35 Selection: RHP Tanner Cooper

Background information:

• School: Finger Lakes Community College
• Position: Right-handed Pitcher
• Height: 6′ 3″
• Weight: 215 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Tanner Cooper Scouting Report

He’s a 4-pitch guy who throws a fastball, slider, curveball, and a change up. His fastball has been up to 91 MPH, but sits in the upper 80’s with his fastball. He also played in the field where he hit .411/.521/.714 while doing, what I imagine, his best Steve Nebraska impersonation.

He transferred to Finger Lakes from Stony Brook, where he played in the field in very limited action in 2018. He got just 12 at-bats and never took the mound.

College Stats

Cincinnati Reds Round 36 Selection: RHP Alexander Johnson

Background information:

• School: McKinley High School (NY)
• Position: Right-handed Pitcher
• Height: 6′ 6″
• Weight: 220 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Scouting Report

The big right-handed pitcher throws in the 88-90 range, but has reached as high as 92 MPH. And with his size, there’s more in the tank down the road. His change up works in the low 80’s and he’ll also mix in a slider in the upper 70’s.

Cincinnati Reds Round 37 Selection: 2B Caleb Van Blake

Background information:

• School: UC Davis
• Position: Second Baseman
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 195 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Caleb Van Blake Scouting Report

He’s struggled to hit for average or power while at UC Davis. What he does do well is put the bat on the ball. He struck out just 18 times last season, and 22 times the season before.

College Stats

Cincinnati Reds Round 38 Selection: C Maxwell Romero

Background information:

• School: Pembroke Pines Charter High School (FL)
• Position: Catcher
• Height: 6′ 1″
• Weight: 195 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Maxwell Romero Scouting Report

At the plate, Maxwell Romero shows off good power potential with some rating it as above-average. There are some questions about how much he will hit as he struggled at times with quality stuff in high school this spring. Behind the plate the catcher shows above-average pop times, having been timed below 2.0 seconds to second base over the summer. Those times could improve as he works on his mechanics.

A Vanderbilt commit who was rated much higher than he was selected, this feels like an incredibly tough sign.

Cincinnati Reds Round 39 Selection: OF A.J. Bumpass

Background information:

• School: Cincinnati
• Position: Outfield
• Height: 6′ 3″
• Weight: 195 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Right

AJ Bumpass Scouting Report

This is not the first time that the Cincinnati Reds have selected A.J. Bumpass. As a red-shirt sophomore the Reds selected him in the 29th round. He chose to go back to school and went undrafted in 2018. The 4-year starter has played full time for the Bearcats over the last three seasons.

The 23-year-old has good speed and can use it well to play center field. One of the older players that will be drafted, he’s struggled to repeat his 2017 campaign – the best of his career. He’s a strong athlete, but his plate approach/pitch recognition haven’t let him use his hitting tools to their potential.

College Stats

Cincinnati Reds Round 40 Selection: C Matt McCormick

Background information:

• School: St. Laurence High School (IL)
• Position: Catcher
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 205 lbs.
• Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Matt McCormick Scouting Report

The bat is the selling point on Matt McCormick, who is a West Virginia commit. He’s a strong kid who has the potential to hit for both solid average and power. Defensively there’s a lot of work to do if he’s going to remain at catcher. Most believe that he ultimately winds up at first base.