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A.J. Reed Picks Up Another Honor

UK Athletics

Kentucky junior left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed has been named the College Player of the Year.

The award 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).

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