PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The A’s easing most of their stars into Cactus League play has opened up a window for some of their younger players to make a good impression early on in spring.

Buddy Reed is taking advantage.

In the three games Oakland has played this spring, Reed has been good for at least one highlight per day. Tuesday’s feat: A go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning that sealed the A’s 2-1 win over the Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

“I was just a little disappointed he didn’t throw somebody out today,” A’s manager Bob Melvin joked. “Hitting his second home run of the spring in the situation he was in was huge. He’s got to be feeling pretty good about what he’s been doing here.”

Reed’s spring resume is growing rapidly. After nabbing a runner at home plate with a spectacular throw from right field in Sunday’s Cactus League opener, Reed cut down another runner on Monday, this time playing center field as he fired a laser to third base for an easy assist. Several minutes later in that game, he showed off his hitting tools by driving a first-pitch fastball well up the berm in right-center field for a two-run homer.

On Tuesday, the switch-hitting Reed’s power shined even more, as he muscled a pitch from Brewers reliever Thomas Jankins to the opposite field and sent it well up the berm beyond the left-field wall.

Reed, ranked by MLB Pipeline as Oakland’s No. 23 prospect, entered camp with confidence, crediting some adjustments he made last year while working out at the club’s alternate site. That work has paid off, as the 25-year-old is generating quite the buzz with his hot start.

“I’m just being myself now,” Reed said. “For the longest time, I always had someone telling me that I have to do things a certain way. Down at the alt site, a couple of guys just helped me with being more loose and being yourself and knowing who you are as a hitter. All these little things that make a big difference.

“Throughout the course of Spring Training, you’ll see me and all the other guys give it our best effort.”

Prospects in action
Right-handed pitching prospect Parker Dunshee drew the start for the A’s against a formidable Brewers lineup that featured most of its regulars -- including star outfielder Christian Yelich -- and fared well with two scoreless innings. Dunshee -- Oakland’s No. 27-ranked prospect -- is looking for a bounce-back year in the organization after struggling at Triple-A in 2019 with a 5.38 ERA in 20 games.

“I was facing some guys that are pretty established and really good players, so it was good to compete against those guys,” Dunshee said. “I felt good and felt like I commanded well, which is a big key for me. It was a good day overall.”

Melvin liked what he saw from the 26-year-old, whose only blemish in his pitching line was a walk. He also registered a strikeout of Keston Hiura in the second inning.

“He’s a command guy who does little things right,” Melvin said. “He looked good. It looked like he had some nerves early on, but ends up going two innings.”

Other A’s Top 30 prospects in action Tuesday were right-handers Miguel Romero (No. 26), Wandisson Charles (No. 25) and Brian Howard (No. 24).

Romero worked a scoreless inning with three strikeouts, showing off an impressive power fastball to go with a wipeout slider, as well as a new changeup that he learned while pitching at the club’s alternate site last year.

Howard worked two scoreless innings, and Charles worked out of trouble to limit the damage to one run over his inning of work.