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Futures Game: Hunter Greene, 18, showcases his 102-mph heat – and his growing pains

Greene is fresh out of high school, and the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Credit: Patrick McDermott
Pitcher Hunter Greene #3 of the Cincinnati Reds and the U.S. Team works the third inning against the World Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Being the No. 2 overall pick in the draft will put a set of high expectations on any player.

But when you’re fresh out of high school and have the potential to be a major leaguer – both on the mound and at the plate, the expectations grow exponentially.

Cincinnati Reds prospect Hunter Greene isn’t feeling the heat yet. He’s just throwing it.

Greene, 18, can hit triple digits with his fastball, plus he can hit for power and average. However, he’s only concentrating on the pitching side at Class A Dayton (Ohio).

“I was mainly drafted as a pitcher so that was my focus and that’s what the ballclub wanted me to focus on,” he explains.

Sunday at Major League Baseball’s Futures Game, Greene showcased that fastball – and his own growing pains. Greene consistently hit 102 mph on the radar gun, but was hit harder by the World team, most notably Luis Basabe, who turned around that fastball for a two-run home run.

Greene gave up two hits, walked one batter and hit another in his first pro appearance on a major league mound. Eventually, as he gains experience and grows into his 6-4, 215-pound frame, he could be following in the footsteps of Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player in the majors.

“It’s a lot on the body for sure … especially playing 140 games. In the big leagues, 162 plus,” says Greene, who could potentially one-up what Ohtani’s done this season with the Los Angeles Angels by being a position player in between his turns in the starting rotation. “It’s a lot on the body and obviously I’m still 18. It’s a lot for sure.”

Even though the Reds have him taking things slowly, Greene is still on the fast track. He’s the youngest player on the U.S. team’s roster at this year’s All-Star Futures Game.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” he says. “Without sounding cocky, I’m very confident with what I do on the mound and on the baseball field. So I feel I deserve to be here.”

Even though he’s playing in the low minors, other players have still taken notice.

“He had a little bit of a rough start to the season. The way he’s bounced back at the age 18 is very impressive,” says outfielder Taylor Trammell, a fellow Reds prospect and Futures Game teammate. “He should be very proud of the way he’s playing right now.”

Greene received a rude awakening in his first full season in pro ball. Pitching in a league where the average player is nearly four years older, he was hit hard.

After five starts at Class A Dayton, opponents had a collective .420 batting average and Greene’s ERA sat at 13.97.

“I got off to a little bit of a rough start, but I’ve figured a lot of things out,” Greene says. With a little help from the coaching staff, he’s learned how to better take advantage of hitters’ weaknesses – while at the same time refine his four-pitch (fastball, slider, changeup, curveball) repertoire.

As a result, he’s going deeper into games and has been more effective. On July 2, he allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings, striking out a career-high 10 and walking none.

Although he was touched up for five runs in three innings his last time out, Greene has pitched to a 2.78 ERA in his last nine starts, with 54 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 45 1/3 innings.

While he knows he can’t overpower hitters the way he did in high school – as evidenced by those rockets Sunday going out faster than they came in - he feels like he’s just starting to refine his raw talent.

“It’s still hard to hit a 98 to 100 mph fastball, especially if you know how to spot it, move up in the zone, down in the zone, side to side,” Greene says.

“(I’m’) learning not to just throw balls down the middle. I can’t get away with that anymore. Learning how to move balls in the zone and throw my secondary pitches for strikes, that helps for sure.”

As Greene continues to show improvement in the low minors, he knows there an extra incentive waiting for him further up the minor league ladder.

“What’s great is, we start hitting in Double-A so I’ll be able to swing it again because it’s National League,” he says. “It’s something I miss (and) I enjoy doing, but right now I’m focusing on pitching.”

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