Drafted in the 5th round (140th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2014 (signed for $350,000).
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Reed is a solid athlete who played some quarterback and kicked at San Diego's Helix High, which produced NFL starters Reggie Bush and Alex Smith, among others. He also played basketball in high school, but his future is on the diamond. He made 34 starts and pitched 214 innings in his first two seasons at Oregon, but the Ducks tapped him as their closer this year and kept him in the role despite several injuries in the rotation. Filling the shoes of 2012 All-American Jimmie Sherfy, the Diamondbacks' 10th-round pick last year, Reed--whom the Sox drafted in the 40th round out of high school in 2011--should surpass Sherfy in this year's draft. He has a better body and delivery but a lesser breaking ball than Sherfy. He notched 13 saves entering the season's final week by pitching off his lively sinker, his go-to pitch. Reed gets early-count contact when he's going well, throwing his fastball in the 94-95 mph range with late sink. He locates his sinker well and gets more ground balls with his slider, an average pitch when he commands it. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was durable in a starter role and could return to that as a pro, though he sat anywhere from 87-92 mph as a starter and was less dynamic.
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Starting 2015 at Double-A Chattanooga proved to be too stiff a challenge for Reed, a 2014 fifth-rounder from Oregon, but the righthander eventually made the appropriate adjustments in a return trip to Chattanooga in 2016. His ERA hovered around 5.00 in June, but a strong July propelled Reed to Triple-A Rochester, where he allowed just two earned runs in nine appearances. The former Ducks closer is armed with a power mid-90s fastball with heavy boring action that touched the upper 90s and even flirted with triple digits in 2016. Reed's slider, however, is an average pitch and continual work in progress since he signed. He throws it in the mid-80s, harder than he did at Oregon, but the pitch has inconsistent break and can be slurvy at times. He also uses a changeup sparingly, and it's a pitch he could afford to work more into his arsenal, especially against lefties. Reed is one of several high-velocity righthanded relief options at the Twins' disposal, and he figures to make his big league debut in 2017.
After going nearly 4 1/2 months and 35 2/3 innings between earned runs allowed in his debut summer, Reed struggled in his first full season after making the jump to Double-A. Southern League hitters pinned three or more earned runs on him in five of his outings at Chattanooga, and his confidence naturally suffered. Sent back to high Class A Fort Myers, Reed huddled with Miracle pitching coach Ivan Arteaga and realized he had drastically shortened his stride. Nine scoreless outings later, Reed was back with the Lookouts, chipping in 11 scoreless outs during their title run. Reed relies on a 93-96 mph fastball that shows plus life and a late boring action. His slider can get slurvy at times but shows swing-and-miss potential when he commands it out of a low three-quarters arm slot that carries some deception. Sent to the Arizona Fall League for a second straight year, Reed showed an improved feel for his changeup and a less-pronounced hip rotation at the end of his delivery. Naturally aggressive with a strong, wiry frame, Reed could move quickly but figures to open the year back at Double-A.
Part of a run of power relievers in the Twins' 2014 draft class, Reed quickly distinguished himself at three different levels in his first pro season, reaching low Class A Cedar Rapids for 16 appearances and finishing in the Arizona Fall League. Signed for $350,000 as a fifth-rounder, Reed went nearly four and a half months and 35 2/3 innings between earned runs allowed. A starter his first two years at Oregon, he moved into the closer role as a junior and blossomed. With plus arm strength and a lean, athletic body, Reed touches 97 mph and sits at 93-95 with a fastball that shows plus life and a late, boring action that chews up righthanders. His slurvy breaking ball lags well behind his heater as a weapon but can be a strikeout pitch when he commands it. His below-average changeup gathered cobwebs after his conversion to relief, but Reed broke it out to good effect at the AFL all-star game. Reed's delivery affords him some deception, and it includes a low-three-quarters release point and an abrupt spin-off toward the first-base side. Confident and aggressive with a classic closer's mentality, he should open 2015 at high Class A Fort Myers.
Draft Prospects
Reed is a solid athlete who played some quarterback and kicked at San Diego's Helix High, which produced NFL starters Reggie Bush and Alex Smith, among others. He also played basketball in high school, but his future is on the diamond. He made 34 starts and pitched 214 innings in his first two seasons at Oregon, but the Ducks tapped him as their closer this year and kept him in the role despite several injuries in the rotation. Filling the shoes of 2012 All-American Jimmie Sherfy, the Diamondbacks' 10th-round pick last year, Reed--whom the Sox drafted in the 40th round out of high school in 2011--should surpass Sherfy in this year's draft. He has a better body and delivery but a lesser breaking ball than Sherfy. He notched 13 saves entering the season's final week by pitching off his lively sinker, his go-to pitch. Reed gets early-count contact when he's going well, throwing his fastball in the 94-95 mph range with late sink. He locates his sinker well and gets more ground balls with his slider, an average pitch when he commands it. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was durable in a starter role and could return to that as a pro, though he sat anywhere from 87-92 mph as a starter and was less dynamic.
Career Transactions
Oklahoma City Dodgers activated RHP Jake Reed.
Oklahoma City Dodgers transferred RHP Jake Reed to the Development List.
Oklahoma City Dodgers activated RHP Jake Reed.
Oklahoma City Dodgers transferred RHP Jake Reed to the Development List.
Los Angeles Dodgers sent RHP Jake Reed outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Los Angeles Dodgers sent RHP Jake Reed outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Oklahoma City Dodgers activated RHP Jake Reed.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated RHP Jake Reed for assignment.
Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of RHP Jake Reed from Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Oklahoma City Dodgers activated RHP Jake Reed from the temporarily inactive list.
Oklahoma City Dodgers placed RHP Jake Reed on the temporarily inactive list.
Los Angeles Dodgers sent RHP Jake Reed outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers.
RHP Jake Reed roster status changed by Los Angeles Dodgers.
RHP Jake Reed roster status changed by Los Angeles Dodgers.
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