CINCINNATI REDS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. HUNTER GREENE, RHP
AGE: 20. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-4. WT: 215.
DRAFTED: HS—Sherman Oaks, Calif., 2017 (1st round).
SIGNED BY: Rick Ingalls.
TRACK RECORD: The Reds drafted Greene second overall in 2017 and inked him to a $7.23 million bonus, a draft record for an amateur at the time. Cincinnati opted to develop him as a pitcher rather than a shortstop or two-way player, which was at least a possibility given the power he showed in high school. His hitting ability raised some questions among evaluators, while his arm strength, pure stuff and athleticism on the mound were too enticing to put on the back burner. Greene saw 30 at-bats as a DH and tossed just 4.1 innings for Rookie-level Billings after signing in 2017. He didn’t dominate in 2018 for low Class A Dayton, but he posted an impressive 11.72 strikeouts per nine innings thanks to his power stuff. He didn’t throw a single fastball under 100 mph at the 2018 Futures Game. A sprained ulnar collateral ligament, however, cut his season short in late July. After attempting to rehab his elbow in the offseason, Greene suffered a setback in spring training and had Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entire 2019 season.
Greene’s easy delivery and plus-plus fastball are his main calling cards. His delivery is clean and easy for him to repeat from his three-quarters arm slot. It allows him to be in and around the strike zone with sound command of his fastball. Greene’s arm strength is premium. His
