Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Reed can win the first base job this spring, Phil Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Reed hit the cover off the ball last season between High-A Lancaster and Double-A Corpus Christi (.340/.432/.612 with 34 home runs and 127 RBI) and he reported to camp in much better shape than he did last year. While this news sounds promising, the 22-year-old is not being handed the job. He'll have to beat out veterans Luis Valbuena and Marwin Gonzalez and high-upside players Jonathan Singleton and Tyler White to earn the role this spring.