Reds sign No. 7 overall Draft pick Lodolo

CLEVELAND -- The Reds announced on Tuesday that they have agreed to terms with their first-round Draft pick, left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo. Lodolo, a 21-year-old from TCU, received a bonus of $5,432,400 -- the full slot value for the seventh overall pick.

Ranked as the eighth-best Draft prospect and No. 1 pitcher by MLB Pipeline, Lodolo was 6-6 with a 2.36 ERA over 16 starts this season for the Horned Frogs. He struck out 131 in 103 innings while holding hitters to a .203 batting average.

The Reds said Lodolo will head to Goodyear, Ariz., to participate in a minicamp for Minor Leaguers about to start in the Class A Short Season leagues. They didn't indicate where he will start his professional career.

Cincinnati has already signed its fourth-round pick, second baseman Ivan Johnson, plus right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft (sixth round), center fielder Quin Cotton (eighth), outfielder Ashton Creal (21st), right-hander JC Keys (23rd) and outfielder AJ Bumpass (39th).

Injury report
Second baseman Scooter Gennett (right groin strain) left for Goodyear to participate in the minicamp for Minor Leaguers. Gennett was scheduled to take live batting practice later on Tuesday.

Left-handed pitcher Alex Wood (lower back spasms) is scheduled to throw in his second side bullpen session on Wednesday. Wood threw off a mound for the first time in more than six weeks on Saturday.

Right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson (neck) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.

Dietrich loves Cleveland
The two-game series against the Indians at Progressive Field plus Monday’s off-day offered Reds second baseman Derek Dietrich a chance to be in his hometown. Dietrich is from Cleveland and went to St. Ignatius High School. His grandmother and parents still live in town. His grandfather, Steve Demeter, played 15 big league games with the Tigers and Indians over the 1959 and ’60 seasons.

“Major League Baseball did me a favor by scheduling it like this,” Dietrich said. “I got to see my grandmother and spend some time at home. Mom cooked me a great meal. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Dietrich, who played two games in Cleveland with the Marlins, once won a high school home run derby at Progressive Field.

“We had to dust off the VCR player yesterday at my parents' house,” Dietrich said. “It’s probably been over 10 years since I watched it. I had the memories of my dad throwing BP to me. He still does throw batting practice to me, but dad was throwing and I was crushing home runs into the second deck.

"That was such a cool opportunity. Hitting with a metal bat. Hitting with a wood bat. It’s one of those moments that you’ll never forget. We had copies of it, and the scouts wanted to see it when I was in high school around the Draft because they had heard about it. It kind of ended up as a little highlight tape for me.”

Reds manager and Cincinnati native David Bell happened to drive past Dietrich’s alma mater on Monday. St. Ignatius is a cross-state rival of Bell’s high school, Archbishop Moeller. Experienced with playing and managing in his own hometown, Bell was glad Dietrich had this opportunity.

“I’ve asked him a couple of times, and he hasn’t made too big of a deal about it,” Bell said. “I can tell by his response that it does mean a lot to him. ... You play somewhere with so many close ties and family, it just means more.”