Hunter Fever. Catch it.
(If you can catch a 101-mph fastball.)
Hunter Greene, the Reds’ #1 2017 draft pick pitched as a professional yesterday. Check out his brand new FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference pages!
The club selected the just-turned-18 pitcher from Sherman Oaks high school in southern California as the #2 overall pick in June. Greene signed a $7.23 million contract with the Reds in July, a record for high school pitchers.
Greene is the most-hyped high school baseball player in a long time, including finding himself the subject of an April cover story in Sports Illustrated.
Yesterday, Greene did nothing to dispel the outsized enthusiasm of Reds fans toward his future. He threw an inning for the Billings Mustangs rookie team in his pro debut and topped 10o mph according to local radar guns. Greene was reportedly on a 20-pitch limit. Greene now has a sparkling ERA of 0.00.
It may be a somewhat small sample size to base much on, but you can’t go through a career not giving up any runs if you don’t pitch a shutout in your first inning, right?
Kyle Hansen, sports reporter for the Billings Gazette, covered Greene’s inning. Here’s his report:
. @HunterGreene17 makes long-awaited debut at pitcher in @Mustangs win #mtscores https://t.co/DRLQgbYq1S pic.twitter.com/wmYaKOJujK
— 406 Sports (@406mtsports) August 28, 2017
Video of every one of Greene’s pitches:
FULL HIGHLIGHTS: All 15 pitches of @HunterGreene17's first pro pitching appearance @Reds @MiLB @MLBNetwork @Mustangs @406mtsports #mtscores pic.twitter.com/a2R5FZYWiM
— Kyle Hansen (@GazSportsHansen) August 27, 2017
Part 1 of Hansen’s interview with Greene after the game:
(1/2) @HunterGreene17 postgame about his first 15 pitches of his pro career for the @Mustangs @Reds @MLBNetwork @MiLB #mtscores pic.twitter.com/hccMywxxwV
— Kyle Hansen (@GazSportsHansen) August 28, 2017
Interview Part 2:
(2/2) @HunterGreene17 postgame about his day today for the @Mustangs @Reds @MiLB @MLBNetwork #mtscores pic.twitter.com/8yW8cqLHsy
— Kyle Hansen (@GazSportsHansen) August 28, 2017
Anyone know the symptoms of Hunter Fever?
[Thumbnail photo credit: Casey Page, Billings Gazette staff]
Do you think he might be a candidate for the Arizona Fall League?
Yes, I think that it is worth the risk to have him bat. I hate pitchers who cannot hit, bunt, run the bases and field their position.
And Castillo just got beat by a pitcher who hit a home run. Hey Hunter, one day you may have to drive yourself in to be a winner.
Are you up for that or are you ready to retire 43% of the baseball game that we know and love?
didnt doc gooden arrive in the majors when he was 19?
his windup is really fast. i guess if you’re about to fling one 100mph you might as well do it quickly.
I remember another fire-balling right hander who made his major league debut at 18…..
GARY NOLAN
Like Lou said to Willy Mays Hays in Major League, “Nice catch, don’t ever do it again” (curse word removed), that’s what I’d say to Hunter throwing 101. Simply no need for it. Sit around 96-98, save your arm, enjoy an injury free career.