Hall of Fame
From the moment he arrived on campus, former Northwest pitcher Cody Reed began leaving his mark on the Rangers' baseball program.
After a stellar prep career at Horn Lake High School, in which he was a two-time all-conference selection, Reed found his way to Northwest and immediately worked his way into the starting rotation as a freshman. He made 13 appearances on the mound with the Rangers during the 2012 season, earning 11 starts and compiling an 8-2 record with a 2.94 ERA.
Reed's freshman season caught the attention of other teams in the MACJC, as he was voted First Team All-MACJC after leading the Rangers in strikeouts (65), innings pitched (64.1), complete games (five) and shutouts (three). However, perhaps his most notable accomplishment came in a 10-0 victory at Mississippi Delta on March 31, where he struck out five batters and tossed his first-career no-hitter.
Reed did not disappoint in his highly-anticipated sophomore campaign in 2013, as he went 8-3 in 12 starts with a 2.39 ERA, five complete games, two shutouts and two combined shutouts. He shattered numerous records during his final season in a Northwest uniform, including a new single-season school record of 96 strikeouts, while also finishing as the Rangers' all-time leader in strikeouts (161), wins (16), innings pitched (137.2), batters faced (601), starts (23) and shutouts (five). Additionally, he also ranks second in career complete games (10) and third in opponent batting average (.219).
For his efforts, Reed was voted MACJC Pitcher of the Week three times and received Third Team All-American honors from the NJCAA, along with First Team honors from the MACJC and Region 23.
Although he had already signed with Ole Miss, Reed's path from Senatobia led him straight into the pros as he was taken in the second round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals, becoming Northwest's highest-ever draft pick.
Once in the Royals' organization, Reed began inching his way up through the minor leagues, first excelling with the Idaho Falls Chukars at the former Rookie level and then moving up to the Class A Lexington Legends in 2014. Reed worked further up the ranks in 2015, starting with the Royals' Class-A Advanced affiliate in Wilmington, Del., where he was named as the starting pitcher in the Carolina-California League All-Star Game.
Following his appearance in the game, Reed was promoted to the Double-A level with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. His stay was short-lived however, as he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds as part of a blockbuster trade for Johnny Cueto on July 26, 2015. The change did little to hamper Reed's momentum, as he quickly moved up to the Triple-A level with the Louisville Bats, officially arriving at the highest level of Minor League Baseball.
Just before his scheduled appearance in the 2015 Texas League All-Star Game, Reed was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds organization as part of the blockbuster trade for Johnny Cueto. The change did little to hamper Reed's momentum, as he moved up to the Triple-A level the following season with the Louisville Bats, officially arriving at the highest level of Minor League Baseball.
After opening the 2016 season with the Bats, Reed's major league dream finally came true later that summer, as he was called up to join the Reds for a weekend series on the road against the Houston Astros. In his major league debut on June 18, Reed struck out nine batters and surrendered six hits over a seven-inning span.
Over the next couple of seasons, Reed bounced between the Reds and their Louisville Triple-A affiliate. He earned his first major league victory on September 20, 2018, in a 4-2 against the Miami Marlins, striking out six batters in six shutout innings.Â
In August 2020, Reed was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings with the franchise to close out the regular season. He remains with the Rays today and has his jersey retired at Horn Lake High School.
