Hunter Greene was the talk of the baseball world back in 2017. He had just made the cover of Sports Illustrated, talking about how he had the potential to be a two-way player. Oh, and he was only 17 years old at the time. That’s right the most popular player in America in 2017, was a high schooler. Greene was able to hold a batting average of over 300 and be able to throw over 100 mph an hour. It’s rare for a high schooler to do one of those things, let alone two.
Because of this, he was the most talked about MLB prospect since Bryce Harper, who also was on the cover of SI as a high schooler back in 2009. This hype was able to get him a trip to the MLB Network Studios, for him to listen live to the MLB Draft. Greene would not wait long however being drafted number two overall to the Cincinnati Reds.
Since entering the Red organization he’s had ups and downs. At one point he was the Reds’ top prospect, putting up decent numbers in the minors. However, he also had to undergo Tommy John surgery. When it comes to the bigs, he’s been average at best. This has led many people to ask if is this finally the season Greene puts it all together.
Why Greene Will Breakout This Season
The main reason for a potential Greene breakout is his four-seam fastball. It’s been what he is known for since he was in high school. Last season his fastball sat around 98.3 mph. Which would place him second in the league among qualified starters. The speed alone would be enough to get excited about, however, when you dive deeper there is more to be excited about. Specifically, the expected batting average of his four-seamer was .235. That means his four-seamer has the potential to be his outpitch. The pitch he uses to put guys away.
His four-seamer isn’t the only pitch that has people talking. Greene added two new pitches to his arsenal this winter, a splitter, and a curveball. Both of which have yielded good results so far in spring. In his most recent outing, both of those pitchers were unhittable. Sure it’s only spring training but Greene has been very happy with how the pitch has felt. Calling them the best part of spring so far. Combine these two pitches with his fastball and changeup and Greene has an arsenal that could dominate the league for years to come.
Why Greene Won’t Break Out
Although it seems like Greene has four pitches that are working for him, there is one that isn’t. That being his changeup. Which has been the pitch batters have found the most success with. Opponents have a .304 batting average against his changeup. And it’s not like Greene is getting unlucky, or his defense is failing him, the expected batting average is .306. Meaning that the changeup is an easy pitch for hitters to get a hold of. If Greene is set on keeping the changeup a part of his pitching arsenal, it could prevent him from meeting his full potential.
Then there is the issue of Greene’s inconsistency rearing its ugly head. It’s been the biggest problem throughout Greene’s entire career. He’ll go out and throw seven innings of one-hit ball, then in the next start won’t be able to make it out of the fourth inning. You never know the type of start you’re going to get from him. This trend has continued into this year’s spring training, as he’ll have innings where he looks electric, then have one where he gets shelled. If Greene truly wants to be the ace of the Reds staff, this is an issue he has to get under control.
Thanks for reading! Credit for my feature image goes to Carmen Mandato. You can find more MLB content at Belly Up Sports and follow me on Twitter/X.
