I had a chat with 2011 baseball commit [URL=”http://www.wildcatrecruits.com/playerProfile.php?Contact_ID=576&Recruit=Andrew–A.J.–Reed”]A.J. Reed[/URL] from Terre Haute South this morning. I felt bad because he was partaking in one of the few non-baseball related events in his life right now (trip to Holiday World). When I asked what he likes to do when he’s not playing baseball, he said “not much, when I’m not playing games or at practice, I’m usually in the batting cages.”
His coach had told me that Reed was really interested in the college experience, so it would take a pretty good offer from the Mets to change his mind. That’s pretty much what A.J. said when I spoke with him as well. I asked if he was surprised he was drafted as high as he was (25th round), and he said he probably would have gone higher, but since the Mets knew he was really interested in college, they took some players ahead of him that they knew would sign contracts. I asked A.J. if he had decided between going pro or going to college yet and he said no. He said the Mets would watch him play over the summer and then make an offer. He will decide sometime in August.
Coach Bohannon handled Reed’s recruitment, and is still the one he talks to most. I asked A.J. why he signed with UK, as I knew he had offers from IU, Indiana State, Ohio State and Vanderbilt as well. He said he wanted to play against the best competition in college (the SEC). He said a relationship with the coaches was really important too, and he felt most comfortable with the Kentucky coaches.
A.J. pitches in HS ball (pitches and hits lefty), but he will also play some first base if he attends UK. He is known just as much for his batting as his pitching though. This year A.J. finished his pitching stats with 108 strikeouts and 11 walks in 66 innings. He’s got a top speed fastball of 94 mph, and typically burns them in at 90-91 mph. As for batting, Reed finished with 16 home runs and a BA of .585.
Terre Haute South went to semi-state this year, where they lost 1-0 to eventual 4A state runner-up Indianapolis Cathedral. I asked A.J. if he knew any of the other 2011 recruits he may be attending UK with, and he said he had played against [URL=”http://www.wildcatrecruits.com/playerProfile.php?Contact_ID=645&Recruit=Chandler-Shepherd”]Chandler Shepherd[/URL], and was friends with [URL=”http://www.wildcatrecruits.com/playerProfile.php?Contact_ID=637&Recruit=Max-Kuhn”]Max Kuhn[/URL].
Many thanks to A.J. for talking with me on his day off. Sorry for the interruption big guy.
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