Welcome back to the Reds Beat newsletter! Mark Sheldon has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2001, including the Reds since 2006. MLB.com's Jesse Borek contributed to the Reds Video Vault segment this week.

CINCINNATI -- After a couple of years on hiatus because of the pandemic, the baseball world will gather again for the Winter Meetings in San Diego from Sunday through Wednesday, Dec. 7.

The last Winter Meetings were held in 2019, and the Reds were a busy club. They had just signed free agent Mike Moustakas, and they were in hot pursuit of Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius before they both signed with the Phillies. The front office also laid the groundwork for the deals that would eventually land two more free agents in Shogo Akiyama and Nick Castellanos.

I will have a more detailed Winter Meetings preview coming soon on MLB.com and Reds.com. As a rebuilding team, Cincinnati is unlikely to make any stunning additions next week, but there is one new wrinkle to the Winter Meetings that could interest Reds fans.

The first MLB Draft lottery.

For the first time, the order of the top six Draft picks will be determined by lottery instead of simply being the reverse order of the previous year’s standings. The 18 non-playoff teams all have a chance to get the No. 1 pick, and the results will be revealed exclusively on MLB Network at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

This story, by Jonathan Mayo, lays out all of the details and rules of the lottery.

The Reds, who finished 62-100 in 2022, have a stronger chance than most to land the top pick.

Here are the best five odds:

Nationals (55-107), 16.5%
A’s (60-102), 16.5%
Pirates (62-100), 16.5%
Reds (62-100), 13.2%
Royals (65-97), 10.0%

Since the Draft was instituted in 1965, the Reds have never picked first. Twice, they have picked No. 2 -- in 2016 for Nick Senzel, and in ‘17 to take Hunter Greene.

If the Reds can get the No. 1 selection, it could be a boost for their rebuilding program and give the fanbase a little more hope about the future.

Who was the first MLB Draft pick made by the Reds (1965)?

A. Pete Rose

B. Lee May

C. Tommy Helms

D. Bernie Carbo

On Friday, while you were still digesting Thanksgiving turkey or shopping for bargains, Reds first baseman Joey Votto was back doing what he has generally done best: hitting.

Votto posted an Instagram story of him taking his first swings since he had season-ending left shoulder surgery in August.

The hope after the procedure was that Votto could begin swinging around New Year’s Day and be ready in time for Spring Training. It appears he might be a little ahead of schedule, but this is something that can’t be rushed.

It’s an important year for Votto, who will be entering the final guaranteed year of the 10-year, $225 million extension that he signed in April 2012.

Votto, 39, is scheduled to appear at Redsfest this weekend, so I would expect to get an update directly from him then and report what he says.

Nov. 29, 1971: The Reds made a blockbuster trade that sent Lee May, Tommy Helms and Jimmy Stewart to the Astros for Joe Morgan, Jack Billingham, César Gerónimo and Ed Armbrister.

Morgan went on to win back-to-back National League MVP Awards in 1975 and ‘76 and help lead the Big Red Machine to World Series titles in both seasons.

In the annals of Reds trade history, the acquisition of Luis Castillo from the Marlins in January 2017 ranks among the shrewdest moves the club has pulled off. Castillo debuted later that season, making his first start at home on June 28, 2017, against the Brewers.

While Castillo did not finish with a victory on his line, he was impressive from the get-go. His outing began with two consecutive strikeouts before he allowed a run in each of the second and third innings. He settled in to finish with nine punchouts across 5 2/3 innings, including getting his final batter faced to whiff. 

After the departure of the young right-hander, the Reds saw the lead dissipate for a short while before reclaiming it in the bottom of the eighth. Billy Hamilton wreaked havoc on the basepaths after drawing a leadoff walk, stealing second and third base. Adam Duvall delivered the decisive knock on an infield hit, giving Cincinnati a lead that it would not relinquish. 

During his six seasons with the Reds from 2017-22, Castillo was 44-53, but he posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 137 starts with 860 strikeouts. He was particularly effective at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park with a 3.22 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 mark in 70 starts.

D. Bernie Carbo

Taken at 16th overall, Carbo was picked ahead of Johnny Bench, a future Hall of Famer who went in the second round of the 1965 Draft. Carbo batted .310 with 21 homers as a rookie in ‘70 and was traded to the Cardinals in ‘72

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