Wednesday morning saw the news get out that three rookie pitchers had been informed that they will be on the opening day roster. Left-handed starter Reiver Sanmartin, right-handed starter Hunter Greene, and right-handed reliever Dauri Moreta all were told that they made the big league roster, with the latter being reported by Hector Gomez of z101 Digital in the Dominican Republic.
With Hunter Greene there’s a different level of fan excitement. The second overall pick in the 2017 draft – on the cover of Sports Illustrated when that still meant something, 100+ MPH fastballs, the following along his minor league career, etc. Fans have been waiting to see him come up and make his debut for years now, even if it wasn’t entirely realistic to expect it before maybe late last year.
For the most part, Greene has been dominant in his minor league career. But that career that started back in 2017 has really only been two seasons of pitching. In 2017 he barely pitched after the draft. Greene pitched with the Dayton Dragons in 2018 and after a tough start to the season he went on a dominant run until late July. That’s unfortunately when problems arose and he wound up tearing the UCL in his pitching elbow.
He opted to try rehabbing the injury instead of getting surgery, and for a while things were going well. But in the final week of spring training in 2019 he re-injured the UCL and would undergo Tommy John surgery. That would cost him all of the 2019 season. In 2020 he showed up to spring training with new mechanics, and while he wasn’t going to begin the season with a team as he continued to work his way back, it didn’t matter as the 2020 season would be cancelled. But the Reds did bring Greene to their alternate site where he would continue to pitch.
In 2021 he got to get back into games and pitched well in both Double-A and Triple-A with a few hiccups with Louisville, but still posted an above-average ERA while being one of the youngest pitchers in the league. Getting more than half of a season in Triple-A set him up to head into spring training and truly compete for a job. During the offseason he spent time working on his change up – a pitch he has had in the past but one he didn’t have as much confidence in as his other two offerings – and has been using it more this spring than in the past. It’s helped him take that next step in his development and it’s paid offer as he’s now made the rotation out of spring training.
The home crowd in Cincinnati is going to have to wait a while before they get to see Hunter Greene pitch, though. Assuming that the rotation holds, Greene wouldn’t start in Cincinnati until the weekend series against St. Louis on the 22nd or 23rd (there’s an off day prior to the start of the series so the team could push him back a day if they wanted to as a way to potentially buy a day when they can to preserve innings on the season).
Reiver Sanmartin got his feet wet in the big leagues late in 2021. With the Reds needing another starter it was the lefty who was called up for the final week of the season. He allowed a single run in each of his two starts – both coming against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sanmartin went 2-0 and struck out 11 batters in his 11.2 innings.
Unlike Greene, Sanmartin wasn’t a hyped prospect. He joined the Reds organization as the much less heralded player in a trade with the Yankees (the one that included Sonny Gray). The lefty pitched well after joining the organization, though. After a solid 2019 season split between then Advanced-A Daytona and Double-A Chattanooga, and then missing the 2020 season due to the cancelled year, he returned to Chattanooga to begin the 2021 season. That stay was short as he allowed one earned run in 18.0 innings before he was promoted to Triple-A.
While in Louisville, Sanmartin spent some time in both the rotation and the bullpen. Over his first 15 appearances he found plenty of success with the Bats, posting a 3.33 ERA over 51.1 innings where he walked just 10 batters and struck out 52. But his 16th appearance was one to forget as he allowed seven earned runs in 5.0 innings. It was merely a blip on the radar as he rebounded the next five times out, posting a 3.46 ERA in that span before being called up to the big leagues.
Unlike Greene, Sanmartin isn’t blowing a fastball by guys at 100 MPH, and his slider doesn’t leave hitters flailing. The lefty has solid stuff, but nothing that leaps off of the scouting report at you. What has helped him be successful is the whole package of his pitching. His arm slot and the fact that he hides the ball well help his stuff play up a little bit. That he generates ground balls at a high rate help him limit extra-base hits. That he doesn’t walk batters keeps guys off of the bases. It’s a recipe for success if he can carry it forward into the big leagues.
Like Sanmartin, Dauri Moreta spent the final week of the regular season in 2021 with the Reds at the big league level – debuting a day before Sanmartin did. Also like the lefty, Moreta found success over the final week. The reliever pitched in four games and allowed just one earned run in 3.2 innings while striking out four batters.
Throughout his minor league career, Dauri Moreta had pitched well with the lone exception of the 2018 season. That year he split time between Billings and Dayton as a 22-year-old and posted a 6.79 ERA. The Reds stuck with him, though, and promoted him to then Advanced-A Daytona and he rewarded them in a big way by posting a 2.35 ERA in 57.1 innings for the Tortugas. Things got even better after the missed 2020 season. Moreta went to Double-A and posted a 1.35 ERA in the first half before being promoted to Triple-A Louisville. During the second half he allowed just two earned runs in 26.1 innings with the Bats before he was promoted to Cincinnati.
A three pitch reliever, Moreta works with a fastball, slider, and a change up. His fastball works in the mid-90’s and can touch 98. He leans on the pitch frequently, but will mix in the secondary stuff at times. He’s missed a lot of bats throughout his career. With little else to prove in the minors he’ll now get his opportunity to stick in the big leagues moving forward.
Gutierrez really shouldn’t be starting ahead of Lodolo. He’s a #5 starter who you turn to when you have no better options.
For his career, he’s shown he is who he is…
4.46 ERA in A+
4.35 ERA in AA
5.67 ERA in AAA
4.74 ERA in MLB
For a team who realistically isn’t making a playoff push in 2022, they need to be focusing on getting playing time for the younger players, and not wasting playing time on guys like Pham, Gutierrez, Minor, Farmer, Moran, Solano, Akiyama, etc. at the expense of guys like Lodolo, Friedl, Barrero, etc.
Hopefully somebody in the Reds’ front office figures out what a competent rebuild is supposed to look like.
I think Lodolo will be the 5th starter until Castillo or Minor returns. Whenever one of them returns, I think the Reds will send down whoever is performing worst among the group of Vlad/Greene/Lodolo/Sanmartin. With the other replacing the 2nd worst performer. I think Vlad’s job is only secure to start the year, and/or if Greene/Lodolo reach an innings limit.
With penalties included the Reds paid 9+ million dollars to sign Guttierez which is more than a first round draft pick, and were competing with others for the signing. Tells me they think h is more than a #5 starter and to this point in his big league story he has done nothing to disappoint.
And, what possibly has Farmer done to be trashed other than play exceptional defense and average offense. Barrero has been given an opportunity to show his stuff the last two years and has yet to show even average offense. He needs to seize the opportunity when it presents itself
At this point last spring Wade Miley had pretty much the same pedigree as Minor has this spring. How did that work out. Friedl probably deserves the spot over Shogo but their isn’t much they can do with the contract status. Dick Williams signed that one, not the current front office, just like they are stuck with Votto’s 70 million owed.
Agreed. Gutierrez had a very nice run mid-season last year even though he wore down later. If that is his upside, that’s pretty good.
Farmer has proven he can hold down a starting job, though I don’t think he is too long for the organization given all of the middle infield talent pushing upwards. Part of that is that he’s earned a chance to make his money but he might have to do that elsewhere.
If I’m not mistaken…
After his call-up, Barrero went 2 for 4 at the plate, and Bell promptly gave him all of 8 AB’s over the next 3 weeks.
I think we have a different definition of what it means to be “given an opportunity” ;-)
The owner is trying to contend but he won’t submit the needed resources to do it. Also, the minority owners require a certain amount of annual profit. The best chance for Reds to build a consistent winner is for the entire current ownership group to be replaced with a new group. At least the fans are doing there part and not supporting this regime at the beginning of the season. To not sell out Opening Day is sending message that needs to be sent…
How many innings are Greene and Lodolo realistically gonna throw this yr? For that reason, I can see the reds holding Lodolo back a little.
Despite a lot of negative narratives being pushed by many fans and writers the future is very bright for this organization. More so than any other time I can remember, the Reds have a lot of young players that are MLB ready or very close to MLB ready. Many have star potential too. It might be a stretch to compete this year but I wouldn’t rule it out either.
I agree, they are making the tough calls required to win in the 29th market. The players don’t want a salary cap and the owners don’t want a floor. Until then, the Reds need to trade valuable players, extend stars early enough like they did with Cueto, and develop well. It’s a gauntlet but frankly I’m tired of the way they half act like a big market and half do not. You saw what happened in 2013-2015 when they tried to sign too many players and kept others too long. If you’re a Reds fan just get used to not keeping 4/5 of good players beyond 4 or 5 years.
Love it gives a jolt of energy.
Similar to how India and stephenson did last year.
All want is Health, since think could surprise people if can.
Go young or stay home. Trade Minor, go with Lodolo. The Pecota projections notwithstanding, I will be stunned if the Reds turn out to be the 2nd place team in the division (I’m thinking 4th). So let the young guys inject some life into the team. At least, it might draw in some fans.
Exactly.
The purpose of a rebuild is to be bad now, in hopes of being good in the future.
But the Reds seem to favor half-hearted rebuilds, where they are just perpetually mediocre.
They are going to lose in 2022 so they might as well get playing time for the future of the team instead of wasting playing time on guys like Minor, Moran, Akiyama, Framer, Pham, Moustakas, Solano, etc.
You guys are speaking my language. I’m been consistently saying that here for years.
Give me red hot or ice cold. Luke warm is for losers.
Trade Castillo when healthy and Mahle now for all the young high end talent you can get (16 to 22 yo). 2 to 4 years away from the majors. Do not go for the major league ready trap. It’s a disaster.
The Reds have a big stable of high upside young talent in the system. The Farm should have a winning season (at least Dayton on down). Build on that. For Castillo and Mahle, they should net 3 to 4 high end top 100 young prospects and a couple of others like Petty and Phillips who can be really good. Draft first next year. Continue to POUND the international market.
The Reds can compete not just to sneak in to the last playoff spot, but rather for the World Series within 3 years… and if they continue this formula, they can sustain it long term.
Greene won’t be in Cincy by April 30th. The White Sox destroyed him last night. He’s not ready yet and that’ll be proven quickly.
He’s never been unhittable. I tried telling everybody on redszone forever. He throws very hard and is athletic. He doesn’t have command and his changeup and slider are suspect. His fastball is straight as an arrow. Guys today see upper 90s every single game. He’s been overrated by Doug and the community since he was drafted.
Thanks for stopping by.
Spring training stats mean nothing. Please,erase this post.
It’s Spring! The reds are in 1st place.
I was 10 yrs old in 1975 and my first exp being and why I’m a Reds fan is my Mom predicted the final score and the series would last 7 games.
I been following minor league baseball since the days of Gary Redus and Motorboat.
I can honestly give a prediction of the team and individual players, and how they might perform.
I don’t know! If Tom Browning can throw a perfect game, anything has to be possible.
Motorboat Jones was a favorite of Marty and Joe for sure.