Watching Eric Reed scamper around in the outfield at Isotopes Park, racing up the “Tope Slope” — the incline in center field — to reel in a long fly ball, or stealing a base or two, you know he’s an athlete.

For those who remember his crash into the fence while chasing a ball to left-center in 2005, they know he’s fearless. He cracked a rib then, but it looked worse at the time.

Isotopes manager Dean Treanor calls him the best defensive outfielder in the Marlins organization. Nobody bunts better, and reaches base even when the other team’s looking for a bunt, than Reed, who grew up idolizing Ken Griffey Jr. (“I loved watching him rob home runs,” he said.)

Yet for all that, he’s been all but overlooked by the Florida Marlins.

Reed, 27, seemingly accepts his fate.

As one-time Albuquerque Dukes reliever Dennis Lewallyn once said, “It beats working for a living.”

Indeed. To be young again and playing baseball and getting paid to do it.

At one time in America, that seemed to be every boy’s dream.

But Reed was an all-around athlete as he grew up in Arkansas. He was an all-state selection in baseball and football, and a letter-winner in powerlifting.

The Marlins sure must have liked him six years ago, when they drafted him in the ninth round.

Since then, he’s compiled a .296 minor-league batting average, twice been an all-star, and stolen 153 bases, with as many as 53 swipes in one season (2003 at Class A Jupiter).

He batted .317 in his first pro season, then played well enough to be named Florida’s Organizational Player of the Year in 2003, after is season at Jupiter. Baseball America named him the best defensive outfielder in the Florida State League.

In 2004, he hit .306 at double-A Carolina, and began the 2005 season there before a promotion to Class AAA Albuquerque.

He batted .310 in what was left of the Isotopes’ season, getting into 39 games and stealing 17 bases.

He opened the 2006 season as the opening-day center fielder for the Marlins. He played in 30 games with them before being sent back to Albuquerque, where he played in 95 games and batted .303. He also became the first ‘Tope to hit two inside-the-park home runs ion a single season.

Reed was called up to the Marlins in September, when he got into 12 more games.

He was destined for the Duke City again in 2007, but Alejandro de Aza went on the disabled list two weeks into the season and he was wearing Marlins teal again.

He bounced back and forth between Miami and Albuquerque the rest of the season, appearing in a total of 18 National League games and 95 Pacific Coast League games by season’s end.

Apparently, Isotopes fans like his speed and the excitement he brings to the plate every time he steps into the batter’s box. He was the winner fo the “Fan Favorite Award” after a vote by fans.

Although you won’t find a lot of triple-A players ambitious enough to play winter ball, Reed went south of the border and played for Mazatlan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, where he batted .318 with 12 RBIs and four stolen bases in 22 games.

“It is what it is,” Reed said. “I can’t get frustrated with it, let it ruin my game. There a bunch more teams out there, looking at you while you play.

“I wish they would’ve given me more of a chance up there, but you’ve got to go with the cards they give you and that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m going to be out here and try to put up numbers like I usually do and not concern myself (with anything out of my control).”

That’s the proper attitude to have.

“It’s tough. You can’t just walk into the manager’s office, especially in the bog leagues. You can if you’re up there and you’re not getting a lot of playing time,” he explained, when asked if he’d spoken to Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez about what he needs to do to stay a Marlin.

“I kind of knew my role when I got called up. Last year I was hitting about .300 and really expected to get more playing time and I got called up and sat on the bench for 2 ½ to three weeks. … I kind of knew the role after I got there for a couple days , after they moved some other guys into center field.

“It could be worse.”

In previous seasons, the Marlins were enamored with Reggie Abercrombie, who was a teammate of Reed’s last year in Albuquerque, de Aza and now Maybin, as center fielders. Jeremy Hermida just came off the disabled list, which meant Brett Carroll was returned to Albuquerque’s jam-packed outfield.

The Marlins have Carlsbad native Cody Ross, who is versatile enough to play anywhere in the outfield, plus Alfredo Amezaga. The Marlins signed veteran Luis Gonzalez as a fourth outfielder, and one-time Isotopes catcher Josh Willingham was converted to the outfield a few seasons ago.

“Like I said, I can’t worry about what those guys do and I can’t worry about what the Marlins do,” Reed concluded. “There’s bunch more teams out there that can pick you up. And who knows? I could be in the big leagues this year with another team or the Marlins.”

For now, though, Reed said, “I enjoy coming back here every year, playing Memphis is also a good place. But as far as Albuquerque, It’s top of the line.”

Like most of his teammates, he has some goals set, most in the back of his mind.

“I’d like to steal more bags. It was a little hard last year because I was hitting eighth and ninth the whole season, so it’s hard to steal bases when you’re hitting eighth with the pitcher behind you. … If I lead off and play every day, I believe I can get 60, or more than 60 or 70.”