Michael Reed

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #30 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Reed starred in three sports in high school and used that athleticism to become a three-year starter at Florida, where he became one of college baseball's best defensive outfielders. The Padres drafted him in the second round in 2016 and grew hopeful after a long-awaited offensive breakout in 2018, but Reed scuffled badly at Double-A Amarillo in 2019 and was traded to the A's after the season in the Jurickson Profar deal.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Reed looks the part of a professional athlete and is one of the most explosive players in the minors. He is a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field, where he uses his plus-plus speed and exceptional range to run down balls in every direction. He frequently robs extra-base hits and home runs, and his plus-plus arm resulted in 18 outfield assists last year and gives him another game-changing defensive weapon. Reed is much more of a project at the plate, where his stiff, grooved swing from both sides leaves lots of holes for pitchers to exploit. He has average power when he connects, but he struggles to make enough contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Reed's defense gives him a shot to reach the majors. His ceiling is a reserve outfielder unless he overhauls his swing.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #25 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: A hockey, soccer and baseball standout in high school, Reed was drafted in the 35th round by Rangers but opted to attend Florida, where he started all three years in the Gators outfield. The Padres drafted Reed in the second round in 2016 and signed him for $1.075 million. Reed struggled to hit in college and his first two pro seasons, but he overhauled his stance and broke out in 2018. After getting into a low crouch and choking up to emphasize contact, Reed hit .324 at high Class A Lake Elsinore, made the Futures Game and hit .333 in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Reed is an electrifying athlete capable of changing a game in a variety of ways. He's a plus-plus runner who stole 51 bases despite raw instincts, is a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field and his arm is a cannon. But even with his revamped offensive setup, evaluators are skeptical Reed will hit. The switch-hitter struggles to catch up to good velocity and doesn't recognize breaking pitches, and he has a huge hole on the inner half that was exploited in Double-A. Reed plays hard but loses focus at times, resulting in outs on the bases.
  
  The Future: Reed's tools are huge, but few believe he'll hit enough to be more than a backup. He'll start 2019 back at Double-A.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #33 prospect in 2016 draft
  A three-sport star at St. George's School in Middletown, R.I., Reed was the leading scorer on the school's soccer team and a standout hockey player. But he eventually settled on baseball, and was drafted in the 35th round by the Rangers in 2013. He continued on to Florida, where he has blossomed on the diamond. Reed is an electric player, capable of impacting the game in a variety of ways. He has well-above average speed that he uses well both in the outfield and on the base paths. He covers ground easily in center field and has plus arm strength, making him one of the best defensive outfielders in the country. A switch hitter, Reed is still raw at the plate. There's more swing and miss in his game than is ideal for a top-of-the-order hitter, and his lefthanded swing is a work in progress. He has raw power, but it remains to be seen just how big a part of his game it will be in the future. This spring, Reed has been good but not great, allowing evaluators to draw a clear line between him and the college outfielders ranked ahead of him. Reed has significant upside, but the team that drafts him may have to be a little more patient than is typically necessary with a top college position player.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #16 prospect in 2018
  Reed, simply, was a walking highlight-reel in the Cal League. Whether it was racing to make a catch at the wall, stealing second and third base on back-to-back pitches, gunning down a runner at the plate or driving out a home run, Reed did something game-changing just about every night. A long-limbed, premium athlete, Reed showcased plus-plus speed, Gold Glove-level defense in left and center field and a cannon arm. Most important, he overhauled his setup offensively—getting lower in his stance and choking up to emphasize contact—and hit a career-best .324. Reed’s vast skillset made him a headache for opponents, he did it all while playing with a boundless energy that electrified his own team. “To have a guy that can go out there and have fun and have that talent at the same time, that’s something amazing to watch,” Inland Empire manager Ryan Barba said. “He’s not afraid, he’s confident. The way he patrols the outfield, his arm, jeez.” The drawback is Reed is an adept mistake hitter, but he gets beat by high-end velocity and quality breaking stuff. That led observers to doubt Reed would hit at higher levels, and his .179/.227/.235 line at Double-A seemed to validate their skepticism.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #20 prospect in 2016
  After a middling junior year at Florida, Reed fell to the Padres with the 48th overall pick in June. Among his assets are a prototypical long, lean, high-waisted body for center field, a well above-average arm and well above-average speed and solid instincts on the basepaths. What vexed NWL managers and scouts, however, was Reed's inability to hit. The Tri-City coaching staff worked hard with Reed to implement repeatable swings from both sides of the plate and to hone his timing as well. The latter of those issues, the Padres believe, led to his downturn over the past year at the plate. Scouts also saw arm-heavy swings and the need to better incorporate his lower half. Reed has two swings to maintain and was a multi-sport athlete in high school who only has focused on baseball for three years, so the Padres hope experience and coaching will help.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Reed continues to confound. The 26-year-old outfielder was one of the best stories at the start of A's spring training and looked like someone who could help in a bench role at some point in 2021, until a right quad strain in March derailed the rest of his spring. Reed hasn't carved out regular at-bats for Triple-A Las Vegas this year and is again dealing with injury. When healthy, he still oozes tools, easily projecting as a plus defender in center field with a plus arm, but he has yet to show much feel to hit from either side of the plate to unlock his ample power.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Reed starred in three sports in high school and used that athleticism to become a three-year starter at Florida, where he became one of college baseball's best defensive outfielders. The Padres drafted him in the second round in 2016 and grew hopeful after a long-awaited offensive breakout in 2018, but Reed scuffled badly at Double-A Amarillo in 2019 and was traded to the A's after the season in the Jurickson Profar deal.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Reed looks the part of a professional athlete and is one of the most explosive players in the minors. He is a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field, where he uses his plus-plus speed and exceptional range to run down balls in every direction. He frequently robs extra-base hits and home runs, and his plus-plus arm resulted in 18 outfield assists last year and gives him another game-changing defensive weapon. Reed is much more of a project at the plate, where his stiff, grooved swing from both sides leaves lots of holes for pitchers to exploit. He has average power when he connects, but he struggles to make enough contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Reed's defense gives him a shot to reach the majors. His ceiling is a reserve outfielder unless he overhauls his swing.