First Round Matchup | No. 8 Austin Kearns v. No. 9 Ryan Freel
Kearns:
A former No. 7 overall pick out of high school by the Cincinnati Reds in 1998, Kearns was one of the more coveted players in the team’s minor league system. He didn’t disappoint in his rookie season, 2002, finishing third in the National League Rookie of the Year race, while slashing .315/.407/.500 with 13 HR and 56 RBIs.
But inconsistency over his next four seasons in Cincinnati left fans fantasizing about what could have been.