Reds Land Coveted Hunter Greene
Hunter Greene throws 100 mph with relative ease, which made him a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. (photo by Bill Mitchell)
The more Reds general manager Dick Williams saw Hunter Greene, the more he worried the organization’s No. 2 overall pick wasn’t high enough to get the California high school righthander.
In the end, the Twins went with a different SoCal prep star, Royce Lewis, and the Reds got the player they coveted.
“The reports I read are like no other reports I’ve seen in my limited time in baseball,” Williams said, “(They were) making some historic comparisons.”
Greene was the consensus top talent in the 2017 draft, with most valuing him more as a pitcher than as a shortstop.
Williams said the Reds will keep the door open on Greene playing in the field, but he will pitch once he signs.
“As I’ve said many times, playing at the highest level is very difficult, and I just wouldn’t ever want somebody to try to focus on both to the detriment of one,” Williams said.
“So we think Hunter’s got a great chance to be a major leaguer as a pitcher. We think the potential is there as a position player. I think at first we will focus on pitching and allow him to take at-bats. We’ll keep the door open to playing the field.”
Greene said he’d like to do both but will defer to the Reds.
“I’m trusting their professionalism and judging players and knowing how the game works and foreseeing a career,” Greene said. “And whatever they want me to do, I’m going to be pumped to do it, and just go out there and compete and be the best I can be.”
As a senior at Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, Calif., Greene threw just 28 innings over five appearances. He didn’t pitch after April.
“While he’s in the process of building up innings, I think he can get at-bats,” Williams said. “I don’t think it’s realistic to ask him to play the field, get at-bats and try to pitch all this summer. We probably won’t do that.”
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