Kevin Reese

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Yankees #28 prospect in 2006
  The last week of June couldn't have been more memorable for Reese. Two days after he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Laura Le Gallo, the Yankees finally rewarded his offensive talent with a brief big league promotion. He struck out and walked in two plate appearances. New York acquired him from the Padres in December 2001 in a trade for Bernie Castro. Reese is an efficient hitter with a career .299 average in the minors, and he's smart and patient enough to identify and wait for pitches he can drive. He has an excellent twostrike approach. He hangs in well against lefthanders and has power to the gaps, but he doesn't have enough juice to be a corner outfielder on a contender. He's also a good baserunner and efficient basestealer. Defensively, Reese is solid-average on either corner, though his arm profiles best in left. He has played some center field in the minors, mostly in 2004, and grades out as slightly below average. Realistically, Reese will be an extra outfielder for the Yankees and won't get a chance to start until he's in another organization.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #23 prospect in 2003
  Reese helped lead Mission Bay High to a championship as a senior and was a two-way player at the University of San Diego before he focused on hitting and set several Toreros offensive records. He tore a ligament in his thumb during his senior season, though, knocking him down in the draft. The Yankees acquired Reese from the Padres following the 2001 season. He exercises a solid understanding of the strike zone, yet still has an aggressive approach. Reese skipped a level to Double-A in 2002 and still had the third-best average in the system. He's a pure hitter who sprays line drives to all fields with a compact stroke. He shows occasional pull power but can be beaten inside by good fastballs. His baseball instincts and above-average speed make him a threat to steal or take an extra base. Reese played center for Norwich and probably could handle all three outfield spots in the major leagues. His arm is average and accurate and he shows playable range. There aren't many holes in Reese's game, but his lack of power might relegate him to a future as a reserve.