With the ninth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Cincinnati Reds selected Steele Hall out of Hewitt-Trussville High School in Alabama. The 17-year-old right-handed shortstop, standing at six feet even and weighing 180lbs, is 12th on MLB’s prospect rankings board.
Hall, originally supposed to be entering his senior year of high school, recently reclassified to take part in this year’s draft. The Reds believe in him enough to invest in his game, as he finds himself entering one of the better farm systems in the MLB.
Compared to players like Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson, Hall shows a lot of potential. Just how good is he, though? Here’s a look at the newest Red and how he fits into the current Cincinnati lineup.
Offensively, Hall had an impressive season with the Huskies. He finished the year with 60 hits, 46 runs, 35 RBIs, and eight homers with a .484 batting average and an OBP of .554.
These numbers place Hall 129th for home runs and 177th for hits nationally, but where he excels is on the basepaths. He finished the season with 33 stolen bases, ranking 415th nationally, reaching 21.7 mph at his fastest.
While it’s likely Hall won’t see an MLB field for at least a couple more years (unless he follows in the footsteps of Chase Burns), his skill set is still impressive. He can put the ball in play, and his speed contributes to the current team’s play style.
If he continues to improve at the rate he is, Hall could end up playing at the same caliber as the guys he draws comparisons to, and he can be a big positive for Cincinnati at the plate.
On the defensive end, Hall can certainly hold his own. Playing at SS, he posted a fielding percentage of .921. This isn’t anything particularly special at the next level, but it shows he can be consistent at cleaning up grounders.
With all the upside Hall offers, there is an elephant in the room: his position. At shortstop, he’s entering an organization with an abundance of young talent at the position.
Edwin Arroyo is already supposed to be the next stud SS coming through the system, so where does this leave Hall? By the time he’s projected to be in the majors, Cincinnati would have both De La Cruz and Arroyo rostered.
Unless someone moves positions or the Reds trade away a shortstop, there won’t be room for Hall in the lineup. He may play his way into the position, though, as although Arroyo is known as a defensive SS, Hall has both the glove and the bat to be effective on both sides of the ball.
Hall is a skilled contact hitter with the ability to hit for power. Once on the base path, he also possesses supreme speed.
When it comes to defense, Hall is a deft fielder who scoops up difficult balls with regularity. Seemingly a five-tool player, he has the potential to be a major key to this team’s future.
At SS, however, it remains to be seen how he’s integrated into this lineup. Not only are there already multiple middle infielders at the MLB level, but the farm system is also loaded with them (particularly shortstop).
While Hall isn’t expected to be in the majors anytime soon (he’s still not even legally an adult yet), there is still projected to be a surplus of players at his position when he is. He’ll have his path to the show cut out for him, but he certainly has the tools and ability to develop into a major difference maker for this team.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
