Rising Prospect - Reese Havens

Reese Havens, SS, South Carolina
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Havens, a Charleston SC product has gotten off to a blistering start for USC this season: .379 with 4 bombs and 24 RBI out of the leadoff spot for the Gamecocks through 15 games.

Great start? Yes. Surprising? No.

Background:
Havens was ranked 6th on Baseball America's top 50 freshman list. Then dropped to 20th on the top 50 sophomore list.

Out of high school, the Red Sox were ready to draft him as their first round pick, and reportedly offered him over $1.25 million and he declined. The Rockies took him in the 29th round and offered him over $1 million and he declined.

Great article on him and good friend Justin Smoak here:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/highschool/050623smoakhavens.html


Havens subsequently hit .259 with 4 homers his Freshman year and followed that up with .274 and 5 HR his Sophomore year (yeah yeah should have taken the $$$)


Howeva (in a Steven A. Smith voice) Havens is now building off his terrific finish in the Cape Cod league in 2007 where he worked with former UNC Head Coach Mike Roberts. With USC Head Coach Ray Tanner's permission, Roberts lowered Haven's hands among other things - Havens hit .314 over the final two months. Roberts said he never had seen someone improve so much in such a short time in all his 30 years.

So here we are: a good 2007 Cape Cod showing and blistering the ball to start off 2008.
Jim Callis had this to say:

	Joe from Jersey asks: Where do you expect Reese Havens to go in the draft? He has had two sub-par seasons at South Carolina, but has played pretty well in his two summers in the Cape League (especially this past summer). Also, do you expect him to have a monster 2008 for the GameCocks?
	Jim Callis: Funny you bring him up. There are a lot of Reese Havens arguments around, both in the BA offices and among teams. Basically, those who have seen him in the spring (area scouts, my BA brethren) have been less than impressed. Those who saw him make adjustments in the Cape last summer (mostly scouting directors and crosscheckers, whom I talked to while doing our Cape Top 30) are more impressed. The biggest thing working against him is that he can't play shortstop at the next level. I see him going in the second or third round as a third baseman. Someone may try to make him a catcher.

So, is Havens playing his way into the first round? No

If he hits .350 this year, and shows power - say 10 HR, I would not be surprised if he goes late supp. round/2nd round as a offense oriented second baseman.

If a team really thinks he can catch (he has not caught before that I know of) that would increase his value.

Right now, I am saying he slows down, but still has a great year and helps USC get to Omaha - I'll say the Red Sox redraft him with the 11th pick in the compensation round.