Buddy Reed

A three-sport star at St. George's School in Middletown, R.I., Reed was the leading scorer on the school's soccer team and a standout hockey player. But he eventually settled on baseball, and was drafted in the 35th round by the Rangers in 2013. He continued on to Florida, where he has blossomed on the diamond. Reed is an electric player, capable of impacting the game in a variety of ways. He has well-above average speed that he uses well both in the outfield and on the base paths. He covers ground easily in center field and has plus arm strength, making him one of the best defensive outfielders in the country. A switch hitter, Reed is still raw at the plate. There's more swing and miss in his game than is ideal for a top-of-the-order hitter, and his lefthanded swing is a work in progress. He has raw power, but it remains to be seen just how big a part of his game it will be in the future. This spring, Reed has been good but not great, allowing evaluators to draw a clear line between him and the college outfielders ranked ahead of him. Reed has significant upside, but the team that drafts him may have to be a little more patient than is typically necessary with a top college position player.