Cincinati Reds pitching prospect Hunter Greene didn’t expect to wear the No. 21 in spring training, so he didn’t know what he had in store for him when he walked into the big league clubhouse for the first time this year.
Greene found out his locker was right next to first baseman Joey Votto’s. On the first day of camp, Greene told Votto he planned to ask him questions all spring. But he knew he had to find the right balance
Greene is in the mix to open the year in the Reds starting rotation.
“He’ll have to continue to grow at the Major League level, too,” Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson said. “It’s all about fitting him with the rest of the pieces and his growth in Major League Baseball. No matter what you do in the minor leagues, it’s not the major leagues. There’s another step for each guy.”
Johnson said he doesn’t believe a pitching prospect can prove he’s ready for the jump to MLB without actually pitching in MLB. One of his main talking points with the pitching staff is combining “the arts and the sciences” of pitching with each pitcher, and the final steps are perfecting your preparation and your mindset on the mound.
Greene took the initiative over the offseason to advance those skills. Over the winter, Greene spent a week with Sonny Gray to learn about making the adjustment to MLB.
“It was one of the most productive trips I’ve ever done when it comes to working with big league guys,” Greene said. Now Greene enters the spring in the mix to fill Gray’s spot in the rotation.
Johnson said the shortened spring training won’t impact Greene’s preparedness for the season. Now, Greene has an opportunity to show he’s ready for the next step.
“I’m not really evaluating Hunter against other pitchers,” Johnson said. “I’m looking at Hunter and then trying to fit the pieces as we go. Usually, there's a decent answer at the end.”