Youngsters have up-and-down start

A handful of highly touted prospects already have made their presence known in the opening week of the 2022 Major League Baseball season. Some have shined, but others have struggled.

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April 18, 2022 - 2:07 PM

Spencer Torkelson (R) of the Detroit Tigers celebrates his two-run home run with Miguel Cabrera (24) in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on April 15, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. Photo by (Ed Zurga/Getty Images/TNS)

Even in this era of triple-digit fastballs and high strikeout totals, Hunter Greene has a chance to stand out.

The Cincinnati rookie went toe-to-toe with the powerful Dodgers on Saturday night, shutting them out for five innings before Trea Turner finally hit a two-run homer off him in the sixth. In just his second big league start, Greene threw 39 pitches that were 100 mph or faster, the most since pitch tracking began in 2008.

According to Statcast, Greene is averaging 100 mph with his four-seam fastball so far.

Greene is ranked as baseball’s No. 22 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He’s one of a handful of noteworthy newcomers who have debuted in this young season. Here are a few others:

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