Rylan Reed
Encyclopedia
Rylan Robert Reed is a former American football
and baseball
player. He played minor league baseball
as a pitcher in the Chicago White Sox
organization from 2001 to 2005. After undergoing treatment for cancer, Reed enrolled at Texas Tech University
and played college football
from 2005 to 2008. He was selected as a first-team All-American offensive tackle in 2008.
, Reed attended Crossett High School in Crossett, Arkansas
. He was a two-sport star in high school, playing a tight end and defensive end in football and as a pitcher with a 95 mile per hour fastball for the baseball team. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox
in the 2000 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft
and was also recruited by Houston Nutt
to play college football
for the Arkansas Razorbacks
. The White Sox paid him a $550,000 signing bonus, and Reed opted for baseball.
He spent four years from 2001 to 2004 playing minor league baseball as a pitcher in the White Sox organization. He compiled a 3-0 record and a 2.44 earned run average
in 2002. During his minor league career, his fastball was clocked at 98 miles per hour. He was named the White Sox's "organizational pitcher of the year." Brandon McCarthy
, who played with Reed in 2002, recalled, "He would intimidate the hell out of you. He had muscles coming out of muscles. That was a sight.
.
, where he played college football
. He began as a tight end as a freshman in 2005, before being moved to offensive tackle. After gaining 60 pounds, he became a starter for Texas Tech in 2007 and 2008. Reed set a Texas Tech record in 2008 with a 625-pound bench press.
In 2008, Reed recalled having pitched to Barry Bonds
during spring training in Tucson, Arizona
. Bonds hit a fly ball to shallow right field for an out, prompting the Houston Chronicle
to note: "That itself makes Reed arguably a one-man fraternity — possibly the only offensive lineman in college or pro football history able to claim an out against baseball's home run king."
After the 2008 season, Reed was selected as a first-team All-American by both the Walter Camp Football Foundation
and SI.com.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
as a pitcher in the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
organization from 2001 to 2005. After undergoing treatment for cancer, Reed enrolled at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
from 2005 to 2008. He was selected as a first-team All-American offensive tackle in 2008.
Early years and baseball
Born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Reed attended Crossett High School in Crossett, Arkansas
Crossett, Arkansas
Crossett is the largest city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States, with a population of 5,507, according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates. Combined with North Crossett and West Crossett, the population is 10,752...
. He was a two-sport star in high school, playing a tight end and defensive end in football and as a pitcher with a 95 mile per hour fastball for the baseball team. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the 2000 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
and was also recruited by Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt
Houston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
to play college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
. The White Sox paid him a $550,000 signing bonus, and Reed opted for baseball.
He spent four years from 2001 to 2004 playing minor league baseball as a pitcher in the White Sox organization. He compiled a 3-0 record and a 2.44 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 2002. During his minor league career, his fastball was clocked at 98 miles per hour. He was named the White Sox's "organizational pitcher of the year." Brandon McCarthy
Brandon McCarthy
Brandon Patrick McCarthy is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001....
, who played with Reed in 2002, recalled, "He would intimidate the hell out of you. He had muscles coming out of muscles. That was a sight.
Cancer and recovery
In 2003, Reed was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and underwent surgery to remove a tumor and three feet of his intestines. After several months of chemotherapy, Reed lost 30 pounds. When he recovered from the cancer treatment, his father was killed in an automobile accident. He returned to the White Sox in 2004, shortly after the death of his father, but his earned run average soared to 14.54 in five games for the Great Falls White SoxGreat Falls White Sox
The Great Falls Voyagers are a minor league baseball team based in Great Falls, Montana. This team has played continuously since 1969, and also played in the Pioneer League from 1948 to 1963....
.
College football
After retiring from baseball in 2004, Reed enrolled at Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, where he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. He began as a tight end as a freshman in 2005, before being moved to offensive tackle. After gaining 60 pounds, he became a starter for Texas Tech in 2007 and 2008. Reed set a Texas Tech record in 2008 with a 625-pound bench press.
In 2008, Reed recalled having pitched to Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
during spring training in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. Bonds hit a fly ball to shallow right field for an out, prompting the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
to note: "That itself makes Reed arguably a one-man fraternity — possibly the only offensive lineman in college or pro football history able to claim an out against baseball's home run king."
After the 2008 season, Reed was selected as a first-team All-American by both the Walter Camp Football Foundation
Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
and SI.com.
Awards and honors
- 2007 All-Big 12 honorable mention
- 2008 All-Big 12 second team
- 2008 Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-Big 12 first team - 2008 Walter Camp Football FoundationWalter Camp Football FoundationThe Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
first-team All-America - 2008 SI.com first-team All-America