The force of the Reds’ youthful pitching wave will be on full display in the first few weeks of the 2022 regular season. Nick Lodolo, the club’s No. 2 prospect and No. 42 overall per MLB Pipeline, will travel with the team to begin the year before joining the active roster ahead of his Major League debut.
Hunter Greene, the club’s top prospect and No. 22 overall, is slated to make his own big league debut Sunday vs. the Braves. Due to an off-day next Monday, the Reds won’t need a fifth starter until April 13 vs. the Guardians which is where Lodolo enters the picture.
Lodolo traditionally utilizes a three-pitch mix of a sinking fastball, a breaking ball and a changeup, all three of which draw above-average scouting grades. Despite his frame, his control draws rave reviews, as evidenced by his issuing just 11 free passes in 69 Minor League innings.
The arrival of Lodolo -- when it comes -- will mark a significant moment for a team that has long awaited premier pitching talent to arrive through its own pipeline
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