Astros: A.J. Reed is optioned down to minor league camp

With A.J. Reed being sent to minor league camp, possibly clearing up the Astros logjam for first base.

We can now narrow the battle for the 25th spot on the Astros roster down to two players. This is assuming that Tony Sipp is the 24th man. According to Jake Kaplan, the Astros have optioned A.J. Reed down to minor league camp. He was part of the mix for the first base job while Yuli Gurriel recovers and serves his suspension.

It was a tight battle between Reed, Tyler White, and J.D. Davis. Reed had a decent spring considering how he got off to a rough start. He was showing glimpses of his power at the plate. The only thing holding him back was that he is limited to first base and a left-handed hitter. A.J. Hinch mentioned how it might be hard to find a place for Reed in the lineup without having too many lefties at the bottom of the lineup.

While he has struggled some in the big leagues, the Astros still see Reed as an impact bat. While Gurriel is out, we may see a lot Marwin Gonzalez playing first base. This would give whoever wins the backup first baseman maybe only a handful of starts at first base. Meaning, they may want some more position flexibility with the person who makes the team.

The last two options can play a few positions.

This is why many people thought that White and Davis have the best shot. They can both play first and third base. White has played second base some this spring and Davis has played left field. Both were used as a reliever in blowout games last year.

On Talking Stros, we have discussed this battle since Gurriel’s injury. I felt like White was the safe pick, as he has the most MLB playing experience and has served as a bench player. Davis has had the most consistent spring of the three. However, he is a highly regarded young player and may not be best served in a pinch-hitting role.

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Jeremy Booth brought up on last night’s show that the Astros may not Reed down in Triple-A too long. It would be his third season in Triple-A which could lower his value to other teams. Booth warned about him being labeled a 4-A player. I still think that Reed will get his chance at sometime this year.

On the other side, you don’t want an impact player like him rotting on the bench either. The Astros would rather him get at-bats in the minor leagues. There he can get ready if needed later in the season. To give Reed some credit, he came to camp 25 lbs lighter. He looked better at the plate, but he will have to wait till later this season.

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With Reed being optioned, the spring roster is now cut to 32 players. One of the next cuts will be the loser of the battle between Davis and White. If they are looking for an impact bat, Davis may be the pick. However, White has the pinch-hitting experience. The season is almost here.

***Stats from Baseball-Reference***