Carlson Reed Stats & Scouting Report

IP	115.667
ERA	2.023
WHIP	1.104
BB/9	4.202
SO/9	10.582

Full name Carlson Timothy Reed
Born 11/27/2002 in Atlanta, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School West Virginia
Drafted in the 4th round (104th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023 (signed for $597,500).

View Draft Report

School: West Virginia Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.6
BA Grade:40/High
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 35.

Reed is a lean, tall and high-waisted righthander who stands 6-foot-4, 195-pounds and attacks hitters with a three-pitch mix. After splitting time as a starter and reliever in his first two seasons with West Virginia, he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2023, and posted a 2.61 ERA over 38 innings with a 34.7% strikeout rate and 14.5% walk rate. He’s a definite reliever in pro ball thanks to below-average control, but he has a big fastball and the stuff to miss bats in shorter bursts. He averaged 94-95 mph on his fastball and has been up to 98 with the pitch, and it potentially plays up thanks to Reed’s length and extension down the mound. He generated a 25% miss rate with the fastball despite just modest life, and he also found success with a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup—which were high-usage pitches for him even in a reliever role. Reed has the physical projection to pack on even more weight and throw harder in the future, with triple-digit velocity a likelihood, though his lengthy arm action might always hinder his control and command. He fits as a day two power reliever.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Reed primarily closed games out of West Virginia’s bullpen in 2023, where he enticed the Pirates to sign him for $597,500 in the fourth round that year. They then set out to convert him into a starter, and the early returns were quite promising. Reed posted a 1.99 ERA across 108.2 innings with the second-most strikeouts (130) in Pittsburgh’s system. He reached High-A Greensboro by the end of the season, where he allowed just three earned runs in 31 innings and benefited from a .165 batting average on balls in play.

Scouting Report: The gangly 6-foot-5 righthander throws two 92-93 mph fastballs, leveraging impressive extension on the two-seamer to create considerable downhill angle and rack up grounders. Reed more frequently leans on the two-seamer, and the Pirates worked with him to create better distinction from the four-seamer. They also helped Reed reduce some of the crossfire action that plagued his strike-throwing in college. The delivery work helped his potentially plus 83 mph slider—which he throws with a foot of gloveside sweep—take another step forward. Reed also has above-average shape on his 83 mph changeup, and both secondaries generated whiffs more than half the time. Reed’s inconsistent command improved throughout the season. Pittsburgh may consider adding another pitch to Reed’s arsenal to help coax hitters into swinging more frequently, as well.

The Future: Entering his age-22 season, Reed now has a better shot of sticking in the back of a rotation, especially if he continues to firm up his strike-throwing.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45.
BA Grade: 40/High

Track Record: Reed has an ideal pitcher’s build and remaining projection, which intrigued Pittsburgh enough to call his name in the fourth round of the 2023 draft. Reed worked exclusively as a reliever in his draft year, then signed for $597,500. He pitched in the Cape Cod League before his junior year and then in the MLB Draft League afterward. Reed made his pro debut with four outings in the Florida Complex League.

Scouting Report: Reed is almost certainly a relief-only prospect as a professional, but he has the big-time arsenal to be solid in that role. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and touches 98 with heavy sinking action. The velocity is amplified by the extension he gets from his lanky frame. Reed backs the fastball with a potentially plus slider in the low 80s and a changeup in the mid 80s that flashed average in his early pro outings. He has plenty of room on his frame to add more strength and velocity and might get to 100 mph on his fastball one day. His long arm action suggests that command and control will never be big parts of his game and will keep him in a reliever’s role long-term.

The Future: Reed will move to High-A in 2024 and could move quickly as a bullpen arm.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 35

Draft Prospects

School: West Virginia Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.6
BA Grade:40/High
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 35.

Reed is a lean, tall and high-waisted righthander who stands 6-foot-4, 195-pounds and attacks hitters with a three-pitch mix. After splitting time as a starter and reliever in his first two seasons with West Virginia, he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2023, and posted a 2.61 ERA over 38 innings with a 34.7% strikeout rate and 14.5% walk rate. He’s a definite reliever in pro ball thanks to below-average control, but he has a big fastball and the stuff to miss bats in shorter bursts. He averaged 94-95 mph on his fastball and has been up to 98 with the pitch, and it potentially plays up thanks to Reed’s length and extension down the mound. He generated a 25% miss rate with the fastball despite just modest life, and he also found success with a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup—which were high-usage pitches for him even in a reliever role. Reed has the physical projection to pack on even more weight and throw harder in the future, with triple-digit velocity a likelihood, though his lengthy arm action might always hinder his control and command. He fits as a day two power reliever.