BASEBALL

MLB draft bittersweet for Kentucky's A.J. Reed, mother

Kyle Tucker

LEXINGTON, Ky. – When A.J. Reed's lifelong dream comes true Thursday night — the University of Kentucky's two-way star is widely projected to be taken in the first 40 picks of the Major League Baseball Draft — his mother imagines she'll feel something like a tug-of-war inside her chest.

"It's exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time," Debbie Reed said. "It just kind of makes my heart hurt every time I think about it."

She knows that heart will swell with pride over his accomplishment but also break because it means he'll have to leave her. Until now, it's always just been the two of them. Reed's sisters are more than a decade older than him and he's never known his father.

Debbie thought baseball would be good for A.J. and when he fell in love immediately, she nurtured his dream by driving him to — and cheering at — every practice, game and tournament all the way through high school. Then when Reed signed with UK three years ago, mama moved from Terre Haute, Ind., to Lexington.

"I just always told him that wherever he went to college I was going to follow him so I could watch every possible game I could," she said, "because I knew once it was over and he went pro, I wasn't going to be able to be at all the games anymore."

Reed, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound left-handed pitcher and power-hitting first baseman, put on quite a show for his mother during a farewell tour with the Wildcats this spring. He won Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and Collegiate Baseball's National Player of the Year as a junior.

On Tuesday he was named one of three finalists for USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award, the most prestigious of all the national honors.

He led the NCAA in home runs (23), slugging percentage (.735) and OPS (1.211), while also leading the SEC in pitching victories (12), RBIs (73), on-base percentage (.476), walks (49) and total bases (164). He also hit .336 and had a 2.09 earned-run average. Watching it all in amazement — she made every home game and any drivable road game — Debbie Reed was torn.

"It was very exciting that he did so well, just a pleasure to watch him play," she said. "On the other hand, every game that he played I knew it was getting closer and closer to that time. Once his last game was over, it was a bad night. I cried just about all night long."

A.J. is feeling different emotions. His huge season vaulted him from a third-round prospect on many draft boards into consideration for a late first-round selection. Kentucky coach Gary Henderson believes Reed could be a big-league pitcher but predicts, as most analysts do, that some team is "about to pay him a bunch of money" to hit the ball.

To Reed, that means not only a dream fulfilled but an opportunity to take care of his mother. She cannot work because of severe diabetes and will soon move to Florida to live with her own mother.

"That's a reason I wanted to go to school and get better and get a better bonus, to have a little more money and be able to help her," said Reed, who also thinks leaving the nest will also ultimately do them both some good. "It's nice to have her around, but at the same time I think I'm ready to start my own life and have the separation most people have when they get out of school and go find a job."

Debbie Reed knows this. She tries to remind herself that this is supposed to be a joyous time in their lives.

"We're so proud of him," she said. "He's wanted this ever since I could remember, since he was an itty-bitty boy. So I'm very happy for A.J. But as far as I go, I have to be honest: I'm getting sad."

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.

MLB Draft

Thursday-Saturday

Draft starts 7 p.m. Thursday

First pick: Houston Astros

Players with local ties who could go Thursday: Kyle Schwarber, C-OF, Indiana; A.J. Reed, P/1B, Kentucky; Nick Burdi, RHP, Louisville; Sam Travis, 1B, Indiana