What happened: The Cincinnati Reds have signed shortstop Justin Lebron, their first-round pick at No. 18 in this year's draft, to a reported $5 million bonus, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. The figure comes in above the assigned slot value of $4.6955 million. Lebron, a shortstop out of Alabama, was seen by some evaluators as a potential No. 1 overall talent entering the season.

Why it matters: Signing over slot signals the Reds' urgency to lock up a player some viewed as the draft's highest-upside talent, even after his production cooled against SEC pitching late in the year. Cincinnati's front office, led by Nick Krall, prioritized Lebron's power-speed-defense combination at shortstop, one of the game's premium positions.

What to watch: Lebron now begins his path through Cincinnati's farm system. The Reds host the Colorado Rockies, with Cincinnati entering on a two-game losing streak.