Reed Enters First Base Picture

HOUSTON—Considering that A.J. Reed led the minors with 34 home runs, 127 RBIs and a 1.044 OPS in 2015, the first baseman expected an invitation to big league camp this year.

Big league manager A.J. Hinch even indicated as much when he visited the 22-year-old Reed in the Arizona Fall League.

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The club officially announced Reed’s invitation to camp on Jan. 1, but the news didn’t set in until mid-January, when he received a call from farm director Allen Rowin informing him of the reporting dates.

“I’m just going into spring training looking to compete and win myself a spot, hopefully, with the big league club,” Reed said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m just really excited to be going to big league camp.”

Reed, who plans to report on Feb. 21, has been a major topic of conversation among Houston baseball fans since a large segment of the fan base began calling for his callup while Chris Carter struggled last summer.

Reed hit a cumulative .340/.432/.612 in 135 games last season between high Class A Lancaster—he won the California League’s MVP award—and Double-A Corpus Christi.

The Astros non-tendered Carter in December, leaving the regular first-base job up for grabs. Hinch included Reed among the six players he mentioned as possible replacements for Carter. Among that group are two members of the 2015 club—third baseman Luis Valbuena and utility infielder Marwin Gonzalez—and Triple-A Fresno corner bats Jon Singleton, Tyler White and Matt Duffy.

“We absolutely have a competition,” Hinch said. “Singleton has done as much as anybody to put himself in position to compete for the job. He’s answered every question in Triple-A. He’s made a contribution in the big leagues—not as much last year, but the season before.

Now Reed will get an opportunity to prove himself in spring training to earn the job.

“I’m just excited,” he said. “I’m looking forward to competing for the spot. Obviously there’s great competition out there, too.”

SPACE SHOTS

• The Astros dropped Omar Lopez, who managed Lancaster in 2015, back down to low Class A Quad Cities. He managed the River Bandits in 2013 and 2014.

• The Astros reassigned Josh Bonifay, the 2015 Midwest League manager of the year at Quad Cities, to Rookie-level Greeneville.