A.J. Reed is a good hitter, a way better hitter than he is a pitcher, that’s why when the Astros drafted him 42nd overall in the 2014 draft they chose to make him a hitter full-time. Reed was a two-way player in college though, acting as both the ace and best hitter for a Kentucky team in the perennially tough Southeastern Conference. So why has he not been given the chance to pitch in the minors?
As a junior, he was 12-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 112 innings. For context, here are Reed’s 2014 stats compared to other notable pitchers from the SEC.