The thunderous rip of a bat sending a ball deep into the seats of a major league game is the dream of any kid who plays baseball. The glamor of power is indoctrinated at an early age, and coveted at the professional level by organizations looking for that pop in the lineup that can make a difference on the scoreboard with just one swing.
The Houston Astros were looking to replenish the power in their system during the 2014 First Year Player draft, and found two sluggers who lit up college baseball with their offense. A.J. Reed, a 1st baseman from Kentucky drafted in the 2nd round, and J.D. Davis, a 3rd baseman from Cal State Fullerton taken in the 3rd round, offer tantalizing possibilities with their power strokes.
Reed was the consensus player of the year in the SEC, leading NCAA Division 1 baseball with 23 home runs and a 1.211 OPS. This is the second year in a row the Astros have taken the player of the year in the SEC, as current .336 hitting Lancaster Jethawk Tony Kemp also gained that distinction at Vanderbilt. Davis has a lot of power as well, hitting .338 with 6 home runs, 16 doubles and a .942 OPS this season at Fullerton.
One of the perks upon officially signing is being able to take batting practice in the stadium of the major league team before reporting to the minor leagues. Taking their cuts at Minute Maid Park before a recent Houston Astros game, both Reed and Davis showed their prodigious power with shots into the outfield seats. Reed said it took some time to get accustomed to hitting at a big league park in front of major leaguers, but he enjoyed the experience. “It took a round or two to get going. I got used to it and hit a couple of balls hard,” Reed said. “That was fun.”
As far as getting to hit beside current Astros such as Matt Dominguez, Chris Carter, and Dexter Fowler, Davis said it was “little nerve-wracking at first, but once I got a few swings in, I got a little comfortable and I started letting loose.” Davis also reiterated that it “was a dream come true” to get drafted and play in the Astros organization. “I’m really glad it’s Houston,” Davis said. “I love the ballpark, I love the city and I can’t wait to start playing.”
Reed and Davis are expected to begin their professional careers this summer with the Class A Short-Season Tri-City Valley Cats, where the two teammates will be counted upon to provide pop in the middle of the lineup. Judging by the way teams value the long ball, if they can unleash their Ruthian skills it will be a welcome sight within an organization craving that type of power.
