More important is his quick reaction to the crack of the bat. It's part of the instinct. Positioning Sometimes whether Reese can get to a ball is determined by his positioning, which is among the deepest in the major leagues. Playing deep allows Reese to take better angles to get to balls. In an instant, Reese must determine the angle to take, like a linebacker trying to run down a running back racing down the field.
Angles are a big part of it.
That pays off in how many flares or bloops Reese can get to in the outfield. It also lets him get to more balls up the middle. On June 30 against Arizona, for instance, Reese went deep in the hole to grab a grounder, then fired the ball from shallow center field to nab Jay Bell and end the sixth inning, stranding a runner. The Reds needed that play more than they might have known at the time. He knows when he can do that and when he can't.