REED EARNS PITCHER OF THE YEAR NOD

Atlantic League Lauds Lancaster Lefty

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball has named left-hander starter Nate Reed of the Lancaster Barnstormers as its Pitcher of the Year for 2018, it was announced today by league officials.

It marks the third time that a Barnstormer has captured the honor. Right-hander Dwayne Pollok won the award in consecutive seasons (2012-13).

Reed, named as the league’s All-Star starting pitcher earlier in the week, went 13-3 with a 2.75 ERA for the campaign. The lefty from Reading led the league in wins, finished third in ERA and tied for fifth in strikeouts (104). He was chosen as the circuit’s Pitcher of the Month in both May (5-0, 1.04) and August (3-0, 1.96). He did not allow a run in any of his last four regular season starts and was not scratched for a run until the seventh inning of his second start in the playoff series against Sugar Land.

He struck out a season-high 10 on July 19, becoming only the second pitcher in franchise history to fan 10 or more in a game on at least three separate occasions.

Over the course of the year, Reed became Lancaster’s all-time leader in strikeouts with 347, passing manager Ross Peeples. The former Kutztown ace was in his fourth season with the Barnstormers and his fifth in the Atlantic League overall. He has posted a 29-19 record in a Barnstormers uniform over that time.

“Reed was the anchor to our pitching staff,” said manager Ross Peeples. “He had the type of season that only comes around every now and then. To watch him pitch now compared to when I first new him and seeing the improvements he has made is great to see.”