Shed Long’s Odds Are Better Now
CINCINNATI—Second baseman Shed Long spent the offseason working out alongside Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and all-star Francisco Lindor in Florida. During one of the sessions, he saw former Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight working out.
A former prep football player in Alabama, Long couldn’t help but show off his skills as the baseball players ran passing routes as part of their conditioning drills.
The same hands that made Long a good receiver also give him more power than you’d expect from someone who stands just 5-foot-8 and weighs 185 pounds.
“I was blessed with great hands,” said Long, 21. “I’ve got real quick hands and I trust my hands when I’m hitting so much. The quicker you get to that ball, the farther it’ll go.”
Long hit 15 home runs last season between low Class A Dayton and high Class A Daytona to go along with 30 doubles and five triples.
Selected in the 12th round of the 2013 draft out of high school in Alabama, Long played catcher until 2015. The Reds decided his bat would advance more quickly than the learning curve behind the plate would allow, so they moved him to second base to try to maximize his playing time and at-bats.
The move from behind the plate helped a different body part.
“When I was catching, my legs were dead,” Long said. “I have fresher legs now, and I’m getting more opportunities.”
After hitting .281/.371/.457 in 94 games at Dayton, Long performed even better in his 38 games at Daytona, where he hit .322/.371/.503 for the Tortugas.
Long played football until ninth grade at Jacksonville High before giving it up. After his junior year, he gave up basketball to focus solely on baseball.
As he progresses through the system, Long looks back and knows he made the right decision in sport.
“I actually liked football, but I realized when I stopped growing, I realized (playing football) wasn’t happening,” Long said, “so I stopped playing.”
RED HOTS
• Former all-star closer Chad Cordero will serve as the bullpen coach for Rookie-level Billings of the Pioneer League.
• The Reds hosted 20 position players for an intensive strength and speed camp prior to spring training.
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