Cincinnati Reds high prospect Hunter Greene promoted to Triple-A

Cincinnati Red’s top contender Hunter Greene is moving one step closer to the big leagues.

Greene, a 21-year-old right-handed player, is set to make his next start for Triple-A Louisville after his dominant start to the minor league season, a source told The Enquirer. Louisville will play a Road Series in Omaha next week before returning to a homestand on June 22nd.

In seven starts at Double-A Chattanooga, Greene posted a 5-0 record and 1.98 ERA from seven starts. He hit 60 strokes in 41 innings while walking 14.

“I wanted to thank everyone in Chattanooga for a great experience and take care of me,” Greene wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning. “Great food, great people, and a great city.”

Greene regularly sits above 100 mph on his fastball and hit 102 mph multiple times on his last start, but it’s the improvement in his slider and transition that helped him overpower the thugs.

The Reds were impressed with the way Greene handled Double-A – it was his first time since July 2018 that he appeared in games – and noted that he was in favor of a midseason promotion and a better challenge Louisville was ready.

‘Still learn a lot’: Hunter Greene threw 105 mph, but he wants to be known for more than just speed

Greene, who was number 2 overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, will continue to develop as a starting mug at Triple-A. He is an option to join the Reds as a starter or reliever this summer if he continues to dominate at his new level.

Due to the COVID protocols, it will be difficult for players at Double-A to switch directly to the majors. Triple A players have similar testing requirements to MLB teams. Double-A players would have to take part in admission tests and a quarantine period.

“The way Hunter has grown as a person is just remarkable,” said Shawn Pender, director of Reds Farm, last week. “When I say that he’s always been a great person, but I just mean his maturity, the way he carries himself. He’s always done the field with his preparation, his concentration and his performance, it was really nice to see. “

Rated # 61 in the sport by Baseball America, Greene jumps up from 97th on the publication’s preseason rankings.

Number 7 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, Nick Lodolo has been dominant at Double-A Chattanooga this season but left his last two starts prematurely due to bladder problems.

Once the bubbles subside and Lodolo makes a couple of healthy starts, he should be on track to follow Greene to Louisville. Lodolo has a 2-0 record and 0.90 ERA from six starts. He has struck out 45 and run six in 30 innings.