MLB has changed.
It’s natural, though: everything changes through time, and in the specific case of MLB, analytics and better resources to measure performance have enabled these changes.
Once upon a time, starting pitchers covered seven, eight, or even nine innings while pacing themselves somewhat when it comes to velocity and effort.
Today, pitchers are throwing harder than ever when it comes to fastballs, and breaking pitches are nastier and with more (and sudden) break and drop.
This max-effort approach resulted in a decrease in innings per start across the league, but velocities have increased.
And when it comes to velocity, there is no one in baseball quite like Cincinnati Reds young starter Hunter Greene.
Perhaps the only other starting pitcher who can consistently throw fastballs over 100 mph is new Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom.
Hunter Greene throws GAS ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/3VVy22f9Ts
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 11, 2023
Look at the difference between Greene and the field.
337 of his pitches in 2022 traveled at 100 mph or more.
That’s incredibly impressive.
Hitters know they have to bring their A-game against Greene.
That’s when their bat speed is really tested.
Per FanGraphs, Greene averaged 99 mph with his four-seam fastball.
Many (most, to be really honest) MLB pitchers dream of ever reaching that kind of velocity on a good day.
Greene averages that.
Results-wise, he didn’t have a brilliant season but has loads of room for improvement.
He had a 4.44 ERA in 125.2 frames in 2022, his debut year.
A 48/164 BB/K ratio looks like a sign of things to come, though: he was able to keep his walks under control and the strikeouts were abundant.
He is a future star who at the very worst is a show every time he takes the ball.
NEXT: The Reds Made A Sneaky Good Addition
