The Astros are set to promote highly-regarded first base prospect A.J. Reed, according to 1250 Sports Talk Radio. Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle confirmed the move via Twitter.
Reed, 23, is one of the game’s best-regarded first base prospects. A second round pick out of the University of Kentucky, he has steadily increased his stock with consistently excellent results as he’s climbed the ranks. He has reached base at a steady clip by combining a solid walk rate with a high-average bat that also delivers plenty of pop.
Things started slowly this year for Reed, who reached the Triple-A level for the first time. But he has turned it up of late and now owns a .261/.343/.495 batting line with ten long balls over 248 plate appearances. Reed doesn’t add value on the basepaths or with the glove, but MLB.com’s prospect team notes that his athleticism and big arm should help make him a sturdy option at first.
Entering the year, MLB.com rated Reed the 35th-best prospect in the game, while ESPN.com’s Keith Law placed him 44th. Baseball America, though, was even more optimistic, ranking him just outside the top ten. BA graded his hit tool at 60 and his power at 65, both well above average on the 20-80 scouting chart.
As Jason Martinez of MLBTR and MLBDepthCharts.com recently wrote in his “Knocking Down The Door” series, Reed could provide a boost to a streaking Astros club that has been trotting out utility infielder Marwin Gonzalez at first base. As useful as Gonzalez is, he doesn’t carry the kind of offensive upside that resides in Reed’s bat.
Fantastic opportunity for this young man. Gives us a chance to let Marwin convert back to super utility
HEAR THAT, BEANE? Ryon Healy is a year older and putting up numbers that dwarf Reed’s and Beane currently has a guy with a .616 OPS at 1B. HE IS READY.
Sorry, so frustrating watching an anemic offense with a young solid prospect who’s broken out and shown he has nothing left to prove in the minors get shut out because of….reasons? Anyway AJ Reed should be a lot of fun, if Reed and Gallo hit their ceilings they are locks for being perennial home run leaders.
My guess is service time. Will likely call him up 12 days into next year
“Reed doesn’t add value on the basepaths or with the glove, but MLB.com’s prospect team notes that his athleticism and big arm should help make him a sturdy option at first.”
I’ll give you the athleticism part. But big arm? That has a minimal effect at first at best.
the mets might disagree with the 1b arm having a minimal effect at first.