Opening Day is less than a week away.
The excitement is palpable as teams get ready for the 2023 season and make the final adjustments to their rosters.
For the Cincinnati Reds, this figures to be another year of rebuilding, but the team could potentially take steps towards relevance thanks in large part to their crop of young pitchers, headed up by Hunter Greene.
The 23-year-old had a difficult first season, going 5-13 with a 4.44 ERA in 24 starts.
However, he showed flashes of brilliance during the season.
On Thursday, the young right-hander stopped by MLB Network to discuss the adjustments he has made for the upcoming season and his excitement to get started.
One week until @Reds Opening Day!
Starting pitcher @HunterGreene17 walks the #MLBTonight crew through the adjustments he's made on the mound to improve his game.@JakePeavy_22 | @Plakata pic.twitter.com/lnrUnL6RlX
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 24, 2023
Greene discussed his fastball usage and how he believes he has made improvements with the location of that pitch.
As Jake Peavy and Carlos Pena showed highlights of Greene using his fastball, the young right-hander talked about how at various points last season, the high velocity was there, but that he would accidentally put it right in a hitter’s wheelhouse.
He also talked about the difference between players at each level from the majors all the way down to high school, with the main contrast being the ability to make adjustments on the fly and improve quickly.
Greene says he feels like he learned some valuable lessons by facing the rest of the NL Central on a nightly basis and began to understand what it took to gain the advantage.
The Reds look to be headed for another rebuilding year.
But if Greene emerges as an ace, the Reds could take some steps in the right direction.
NEXT: Reds GM Comments On Potential Joey Votto Trade
