“Once it was done, I was just happy,” Collier said Monday. “I was ecstatic because I knew the team that picked me was the best fit for me and I was a player they wanted. So it was just a blessing.”
Collier watched the draft with family and friends and pulled on a Reds hat when his name was announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred. He said he bought a Reds hat the previous day knowing it was possible they would draft him.
Collier played this past spring at Chipola College, a junior college in Florida. He earned his GED and left high school early to play there so he could challenge himself at a higher level.
“I learned that I’m a lot more mature than I thought I was,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I was away from my parents a lot, but they weren’t there all the time and I’m going from being a sophomore in high school to now I’m at a junior college and going to classes by myself, filling out paperwork and I’ve got to look online and find stuff and find a way to get to the field.”
The Reds drafted three more players in the first 73 picks Sunday and had eight more picks Monday. They picked all college players on Day 2 of the draft, which wrapped up Tuesday with rounds 11-20.
Third round, No. 94 overall: Bryce Hubbard, left-handed pitcher, Florida State.
Fourth round, No. 123: Kenya Huggins, right-handed pitcher, Chipola College (Fla.).
Fifth round, No. 153: Cade Hunter, catcher, Virginia Tech.
Sixth round, No. 183: Zach Maxwell, right-handed pitcher, Georgia Tech.
Seventh round, No. 213: Trey Faltine, shortstop, Texas.
Eighth round, No. 243: Chris McElvain, right-handed pitcher, Vanderbilt.
Ninth round, No. 273: Rob Hensey, left-handed pitcher, Monmouth.
Tenth round, No. 303: Brody Jessee, right-handed pitcher, Gonzaga.
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