Last April, when the Cincinnati Reds weighed making Hunter Greene the youngest pitcher in MLB, the front office and the coaching staff focused on Greene’s fastball. They spoke about how if Greene had stayed in Triple-A to start the 2022 season, then Greene could have just overpowered minor-league hitters who wouldn’t have stood a chance against his 100 mph-plus fastball.
To be challenged, Greene had to be promoted to MLB. The Reds knew he had a lot of adjustments that he’d still need to make. To make Greene’s fastball as productive in MLB as it was in the minor leagues, he had to develop a better slider and throw his changeup more often.