TheDonaldsonNetwork

⚾️ ALL TIME MLB DRAFT ⚾️ 🚨 PICK 293 — CINCINNATI REDS SELECT 🚨 🟡 JOHN DONALDSON — SP 🔨 TEAM BUILD SO FAR 2B Jackie Robinson C Mike Piazza 1B Johnny Mize RF Al Kaline SP Gaylord Perry LF Tim Raines 3B Graig Nettles SS Joe Tinker SP David Cone SP John Donaldson WHY THIS WORKS This is one of those picks where you realize how much baseball history most people never learned. John Donaldson is not just a Negro League pitcher. He is one of the most dominant pitchers to ever live — period. Donaldson barnstormed across the country for decades, pitching against Negro League stars, Major Leaguers, minor leaguers, town teams, semi-pro teams — anyone who would step in the box. And over thousands of documented games, the results are staggering. Strikeouts in bunches. Wins everywhere. Dominance across eras, leagues, and competition levels. Researchers have spent years piecing together box scores, newspaper clippings, and eyewitness accounts to reconstruct his career, and what they’ve found is a pitcher whose numbers rival — and in some cases exceed — the legends of the Major Leagues. He was said to have a fastball that simply overpowered hitters. A breaking ball that disappeared late. And the endurance to pitch game after game after game with no drop in effectiveness. But here’s the part that makes this pick special. Donaldson wasn’t just good in Negro League circles. He beat Major Leaguers in exhibitions. He struck out hitters who would go back to MLB clubhouses and tell teammates, “You wouldn’t believe this guy.” He was a traveling nightmare for hitters across the country. Now look at this Reds rotation. Gaylord Perry — deception and movement. David Cone — modern precision and swing-and-miss. John Donaldson — raw, overpowering dominance and stamina. That’s three completely different styles that hitters cannot prepare for in a series. And behind him? Robinson, Tinker, Nettles, Piazza, Raines, Kaline — elite defense everywhere to support a power arm. This pick is about restoring a legend to the place he belongs. Because John Donaldson is not a trivia answer. He’s a giant of baseball history whose story is still being uncovered, and whose dominance is now impossible to ignore. The Reds didn’t just add a starter. They added one of the most underrated pitching legends the game has ever seen. ⏰ NEXT TEAM ON THE CLOCK — CLEVELAND GUARDIANS