If you've watched any Franmil Reyes highlights, you'll know that he has a really good feel for the long ball. Take, for instance, this gargantuan blast against the Cardinals in late July that was hit so far that it left the entire stadium.
The stats further indicate that Reyes can really drive a baseball with the best of them, ranking in the top four percent of the league in barrel percentage and in the top eight percent in average exit velocity.
So maybe we shouldn't be all that surprised that his first ever home run, regardless of stadium size, came at age 12. Impressive? Yes, of course it is, but I'd imagine it's fairly standard practice for a future MLB slugger to be able to hit bombs out of a little league park earlier than most. What's more impressive about Reyes' first ever home run, though, is the extra tidbit that he shared ahead of the Little League World Series.
First thing's first: his team was so dominant that players had to switch to their off hands to make it more even? And then, after that switch, Reyes was able to hit a home run? That's utterly absurd, and it makes me wonder why he abandoned his potential as a switch-hitting phenom. The 26-year-old slugger only hits right-handed in MLB play, at least so far, and it's not like that hasn't worked out well for him. It's just that... well, if a 12-year-old can hit a home run with his off hand, who knows what that means for his potential as a switch-hitter later on. That's all I'm getting at.
Listen to Cleveland sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Indians team gear
Perhaps he should also go left-handed in another game, seeing as he apparently has a really unfair advantage there too. This time we're talking about cornhole and the beatdown that he gave to teammate Amed Rosario in some LLWS-weekend festivities.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram