Braves take Texas A&M infielder Reynolds fifth

After drafting a high school battery with their first two picks on Friday, the Braves stayed up the middle with their fifth-round selection, taking Texas A&M shortstop Mikey Reynolds with the 163rd overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.

Reynolds, the first college senior selected by the Braves this year, is not big, physically, but he has a tenacity and aggressiveness that has helped him reach this level. Listed at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, Reynolds earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition after hitting .342 with 15 doubles, 25 RBIs and a team-high 19 steals.

"High-energy, leadership-type guy, can play all the infield positions," Braves scouting director Tony DeMacio said. "He's very similar in makeup to [Nick] Ahmed, who we had. We really liked him last year, but the injuries sort of held us back, and I think he wanted to go back and play that last year because of the injury."

Reynolds is a tough out at the plate with his short, quick stroke, and is a spray hitter with little power, finishing his two years in College Station with just two home runs. He's quick out of the box, a basestealing threat and has soft hands on the infield.

While Reynolds could grow into being an everyday player, the more likely scenario is that he'll be a utility player as a professional.