June 11, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky junior left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed has been named the College Player of the Year, it was announced by Baseball America on Wednesday morning.
Reed, the NCAA leader in homers (23), slugging (.735) and OPS (1.211), is the first player in Kentucky history to earn national player of the year honors. A first-team All-America selection, Reed was named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Year and is a finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy. He is seeking to become just the third player in Southeastern Conference history to be named the unanimous national player of the year, joining Dave Magadan (1983) and David Price (2007).
A native of Terre Haute, Ind., Reed led college baseball in homers, slugging and OPS, while ranking as the SEC leader in wins (12), RBI (73), on-base percentage (.476) and walks (49). Reed finished 2014 with a .336 average, with 18 doubles, one triple and a 49-48 walk-strikeout ratio.
The 42nd overall pick in the MLB Draft last Thursday by the Houston Astros, Reed posed a 12-2 record and a 2.09 ERA as UK’s Friday-night starter, tossing 112 innings, allowing only 98 hits, walking 29 and striking out 71.
In his storied three-year career, Reed finished with a 19-13 record on the mound and a 2.83 ERA, the third-best total in program history. He worked 248 innings, allowing just 53 walks and striking out 174. At the plate, Reed finished with a .306 average in his career, with 35 doubles, three triples, 40 homers and 168 RBI.
In addition to being tabbed the Baseball America College Player of the Year, Reed was named a first-team All-American by the publication.
Reed is the sixth SEC player to be named the College Player of the Year by Baseball America, joining Magadan, Price, Ben McDonald (LSU, 1989), Todd Helton (Tennessee, 1995) and Mike Zunino (Florida, 2012).
BASEBALL AMERICA COLLEGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1981: Mike Sodders, 3b, Arizona State
1982: Jeff Ledbetter, of/lhp, Florida State
1983: Dave Magadan, 1b, Alabama
1984: Oddibe McDowell, of, Arizona State
1985: Pete Incaviglia, of, Oklahoma State
1986: Casey Close, of, Michigan
1987: Robin Ventura, 3b, Oklahoma State
1988: John Olerud, 1b/lhp, Washington St.
1989: Ben McDonald, rhp, Louisiana State
1990: Mike Kelly, of, Arizona State
1991: David McCarthy, 1b, Stanford
1992: Phil Nevin, 3b, Cal State Fullerton
1993: Brooks Kieschnick, dh/rhp, Texas
1994: Jason Varitek, c, Georgia Tech
1995: Todd Helton, 1b/lhp, Tennessee
1996: Kris Benson, rhp, Clemson
1997: J.D. Drew, of, Florida State
1998: Jeff Austin, rhp, Stanford
1999: Jason Jennings, rhp, Baylor
2000: Mark Teixeira, 3b, Georgia Tech
2001: Mark Prior, rhp, Southern California
2002: Khalil Greene, ss, Clemson
2003: Rickie Weeks, 2b, Southern
2004: Jered Weaver, rhp, Long Beach State
2005: Alex Gordon, 3b, Nebraska
2006: Andrew Miller, lhp, North Carolina
2007: David Price, lhp, Vanderbilt
2008: Buster Posey, c/rhp, Florida State
2009: Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State
2010: Anthony Rendon, 3b, Rice
2011: Trevor Bauer, rhp, UCLA
2012: Mike Zunino, c, Florida
2013: Kris Bryant, 3b, San Diego
2014: A.J. Reed, lhp/1b, Kentucky
