With Mike Leake, Reds Defy Conventional Wisdom

When the Cincinnati Reds selected Sun Devil Mike Leake eighth overall in 2009, they grabbed a guy with poise, polish, and command of four pitches. The organization had a pretty good idea that Leake would be a quick study, that he wouldn't need much in the way of minor league development before knocking on the big league door.

The Reds may have even surprised themselves, though, as Leake has been named the team's fifth starter out of camp despite racking up a grand total of zero innings in the minors. Leake and his 3.00 spring ERA won a heated competition with Travis Wood, Micah Owings, Aroldis Chapman, Mike Lincoln, Justin Lehr, and Matt Maloney.

Bringing a player up without tasting the minors is a dually aggressive and unusual decision, and Leake's is only the 21st name to make the jump since the amateur draft began in 1965. Results have been mixed, with success stories like John Olerud, and disappointments like Ariel Prieto. In addition, Reds fans will recall the case of Ryan Wagner, the 14th overall pick in 2003 who made only a quick stop before jumping to the Majors. Wagner never established himself and has already retired.

Still, while the Leake decision comes with obvious risks, his will be an interesting story to follow. The conventional wisdom is that every player benefits from time in the minor leagues, and if Leake is able to succeed while going down a different path, it's not out of the question that there could be some far-reaching consequences.