Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting Director

Reid Briney (Blue Valley Southwest, 2017) is a 5-foot-10 200-pound right-handed hitting catcher and has recently committed to Johnson County Community College. 

Briney runs a 4.58 home-to-first and ran a 7.65 60 at the JCCC Winter Showcase on January 21. At the plate, has an exit velo of 88 mph, a balanced set up, smooth load into back leg wit no wasted movement and accelerated and quick bat speed,

Behind the plate he has an over the top release, a quick exchange. Briney's pop times are between 1.91 and 2.09-seconds with a pop of 1.85-seconds at the JCCC Winter Showcase.  He has a positional velo of 77 mph with mostly accurate throws.

Here is a look into the recruiting process for Reid Briney.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?
 
Briney: ​I didn’t really know what to expect in the beginning, then once schools began contacting me ​​it was a little overwhelming because I wasn’t accustomed to the attention.  It became more ​​difficult as more schools began showing interest.  In the end, it was a positive experience ​​because of the schools I got to visit and the coaches and players I met were great people.

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?​​​​​

Briney: Distance was a consideration, but not a deciding factor because most of the schools that​​expressed interest were no further than 3-4 hours from home.

PBR: Where did Johnson County first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?​​

Briney: Johnson County had seen me during the summer, but their interest really picked up aftera​​showcase event and a really good visit with the coaches.

Briney: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?​​​​​​

PBR: Overall, probably Will Brennan because he robbed us of several base hits from his CF​​position and we couldn’t seem to get him out at the plate.  Faced some really good pitchers ​in high school like Pint, Duensing, Cyr, Vermillion and several others.

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?​​​

Briney: Get your body in shape.  I didn’t do that as soon as I should have, but it sure has​​​made a big difference in my game once I got serious about it.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?
​
Briney: I’ve played football in the Fall the last couple of years and transitioned to baseball specific weight training with PSP3 when the season ended.

PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?​​​​

Briney: Easily, helping BVSW win a 5A state championship in 2015.

PBR: What do you like most about Johnson County and what were the key factors in making your decision?​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Briney: The coaching staff there seemed the most interested in my personal development as a ​​student-athlete and had the best resources available to help me accomplish my goals.  ​​They have established a tradition of excellence both on and off the field and that was very​​ appealing to me.

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
​
Briney: Allen CC, Highland CC and Northeast Oklahoma.

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or  event that you feel turned the corner for you?
​
Briney: The process was coming along slowly, but really took off after the JCCC winter showcase.  I ​​received calls from 5 or 6 schools that were at the event and a couple that saw video from ​​the event on the PBR website.

PBR: Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?

Briney: We feel really good about the upcoming season.  We have a lot of seniors returning as well as several really good underclassmen with varsity experience.  We have a deep and talented  pitching staff and a solid defense returning.  Our goal is to win our 2nd state 5A championship in 3 years.​

PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

Briney: I’ve played with Building Champions the last 3 summers with some really talented players.  Our most memorable experiences have been at the Premier League tournaments where we’ve made a deep run each of the last 3 years. 

 

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