Jack Reed Archives - All Mississippi Baseball

roster watch

Colby White, whose meteoric rise in the Tampa Bay system was derailed by an arm injury last spring, has made the Rays’ 40-man roster. White, a Hattiesburg native drafted out of Mississippi State in 2019, had Tommy John surgery last April and missed the 2022 season. In 2021, the right-handed reliever rose through four levels of the minors, never missing a beat. He had a 1.86 ERA at Triple-A Durham and earned a non-roster invite to spring training. In 58 pro games, he has a 1.76 ERA and 12 saves. Look for him to debut with Tampa Bay sometime in 2023. … J.P. France, another ex-State standout, was added to Houston’s 40-man list after putting up a 3.90 ERA as a swingman at Triple-A Sugar Land. France, a right-hander, was drafted in the 14th round in 2018. He’ll try to earn a spot in the world champion Astros’ loaded bullpen in the spring. … Former Southern Miss star Kirk McCarty was designated for assignment by Cleveland, meaning he’s off the 40-man and available as a waiver claim by other clubs. The diminutive lefty made his MLB debut for Cleveland last season and went 4-3, 4.54. He was 4-1, 3.38, at Triple-A Columbus, bouncing up and down during the season. The Guardians actually lost him on waivers to Baltimore last summer but reclaimed him shortly thereafter. … Ex-MSU standout Jake Mangum was left unprotected by the New York Mets, who could potentially lose the switch-hitting outfielder in next month’s Rule 5 draft. Mangum hit .306 last season between Double-A and Triple-A and is a .284 career hitter in three pro campaigns. … Among Atlanta’s 40-man additions is shortstop Braden Shewmake, who played for the 2021 Double-A South champion Mississippi Braves. Shewmake, who goes 6 feet 4, 190 pounds, batted just .228 with 12 homers for the M-Braves but had several hot streaks and plays a good shortstop. He hit .259 at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2022 before going down with a knee injury in August. He is the Braves’ No. 5 prospect (MLB Pipeline). P.S. Silver City native and Ole Miss alum Jack Reed, who got World Series rings with the New York Yankees in 1961 and ’62, died on Nov. 10. Reed hit .233 in 129 big league at-bats from 1961-63 and frequently was used as a defensive replacement/pinch runner for Mickey Mantle. Reed’s one homer was a game-winner in a 22-inning contest in 1962.

yankee doodle

The New York Yankees have a lot of history. A whole lot. To have your name associated with part of that history is pretty special. On this date in 1962, Jack Reed enjoyed his shining moment in the big leagues, one that endures in Yankees lore. The Silver City native hit a home run – his only big league homer – in the 22nd inning to give the Yankees a win over Detroit at Tiger Stadium in a game that lasted 7 hours. It remains the longest game in Yankees history by innings and time. Reed entered the game in the 13th inning and was 0-for-3 when he took Phil Regan deep for a two-run bomb. The game story in the New York Daily News called Reed “the weakest hitter on the club.” A two-sport star at Ole Miss, Reed had a 19-homer season in the minors, so he could hit a little. But in parts of three seasons with the talent-laden Yankees, he was used primarily as a defensive replacement in the outfield (often for Mickey Mantle), a pinch hitter and pinch runner. In 222 career games – just 18 starts – he batted .233 in 129 at-bats. He appeared in – but, alas, did not bat in — the 1961 World Series, which the Yankees won.