The Reds have selected Nelson with the 35th overall pick in the 2021 first-year player draft.
This draft is very light on impactful college hitting, and while Nelson has plenty of flaws, few college hitters were as productive as Florida State's catcher in 2021. He hit .330/.436/.773 with 23 home runs in 53 games. His 24.5 percent strikeout rate is a pretty big red flag, especially given that this was the first time he logged an OPS north of .900 in college and was particularly poor with a wood bat (.513 OPS) in the Cape Cod League in 2019. He has a chance to stick at catcher, thanks to plus arm strength, and if catching doesn't work, he wouldn't profile anywhere other than designated hitter, as he is one of the worst athletes expected to come off the board in the first few rounds. Nelson turns 23 in January, so he will need to hit the ground running in pro ball to avoid becoming an afterthought in dynasty leagues.