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Tigers To Promote Riley Greene

By Anthony Franco and Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 2:59pm CDT

The Tigers are promoting top prospect Riley Greene, according to various reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). Outfielder Austin Meadows is going on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.

Had it not been for a fractured right foot suffered in the last few days of Spring Training, Greene was on track to make his Major League debut back on Opening Day.  Instead, the 21-year-old has to work through injury rehab and then 17 minor league games (15 at Triple-A, two in A-ball on a rehab assignment) before officially being deemed ready for his first taste of the Show.

Detroit selected Greene with the fifth overall pick of the 2019 draft, and he has since been a fixture on top-prospect rankings, including a consensus top-six placement heading into the 2022 campaign.  The Athletic’s Keith Law considered Greene as the third-best prospect in baseball, with Baseball America (4th), MLB Pipeline (5th), and Baseball Prospectus (6th) not far behind.

Greene only had an okay start to his pro career in 2019 at age 18, and then naturally didn’t play at all in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season.  Returning to the field last year, Greene hit .301/.387/.534 with 24 home runs and 16 steals over 558 plate appearances at the Double-A (373 PA) and Triple-A (185) levels.

There is plenty of five-tool potential for Greene, who was already regarded as having “elite bat speed” (as per Baseball America’s scouting report) even before he started to display more power at the plate in 2021.  According to BA, Greene’s “physical gifts and advanced feel at the plate make him a potential plus-plus hitter who contends for batting titles and he has a chance to grow into 20-plus home run power.”  Greene adds to that offensive potential by being a stolen-base threat thanks to his plus speed, and that same speed has also helped him become a solid defensive center fielder.  He could ultimately be best suited to a corner outfield position, and Greene also has a strong throwing arm that would help him in right field.

As if there wasn’t enough pressure on a 21-year-old making his MLB debut, Greene also finds himself cast as perhaps a turning point (or savior) of what has been a disastrous season for the Tigers.  After years of rebuilding, the Tigers looked to be turning the corner with young talent on the way up, and they augmented that core of prospects with veteran additions like Javier Baez, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Meadows during the offseason.

Instead, Detroit has only a 24-39 record, as the club has been hampered injuries to almost every member of the rotation and a near-total lack of hitting.  Tarik Skubal, Beau Brieske, and Alex Faedo have helped keep the rotation afloat, but the Tigers are batting a collective .220/.275/.315.  Harold Castro’s modest 114 wRC+ leads all Detroit batters who have received regular or semi-regular playing time.

Against this backdrop, it is probably already too late for Greene to spark any sort of miracle turn-around.  Instead, the outfielder will try to hit the ground running and make a good showing for himself in his rookie season, in order to give the Tigers something to look forward to as they reshuffle the deck for 2023.  While Spencer Torkelson has struggled in his first MLB campaign, the Tigers’ long-term plan is to have Greene and Torkelson as lineup mainstays for years to come.

Meadows has hit .250/.347/.328 over 147 PA this season, and is still looking for his first homer of 2022 after mashing 27 balls out of the park with the Rays last year.  Meadows also spent close to four weeks battling vertigo-related symptoms, and was only activated off the regular injured list on June 7.

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Detroit Tigers Newsstand Top Prospect Promotions Austin Meadows Riley Greene

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View Comments (34)

Comments

  1. Kyak

    1 year ago

    Showtime

    5
    Reply
  2. 13Morgs13

    1 year ago

    I had a chance to watch him in Harrisburg last year(Erie). Smooth athlete, with good bat to ball skills. I love his skill set

    4
    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      1 year ago

      Yes, and he doesn’t turn 22 until late September..

      2
      Reply
  3. downeysoft42

    1 year ago

    Bruh I’m literally at the ballpark waiting outside with balls tryna get him to sign one tonight….

    8
    Reply
    • Tacoshells

      1 year ago

      I hope he can sign your balls

      17
      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        1 year ago

        someone had to say it.

        2
        Reply
      • StudWinfield

        1 year ago

        My balls were signed by Todd Benzinger and Sam Horn. Now they’re worthless.

        3
        Reply
        • Chris the Great

          1 year ago

          Stack of those Sam Horn rookies card sitting around somewhere

          Reply
        • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

          1 year ago

          @StudWinfield, where’d they find a pen that small? I’d heard they’d been juggled & they say Todd Horn & Sam Benzinger, you gotta be nuts to let that happen

          2
          Reply
        • FredMcGriff for the HOF

          1 year ago

          What’s really sad is I remember in the late 80’s Jose Canseco rookies were the hot baseball cards and worth quite a bit now they are almost worth nothing.

          Reply
        • tigers_fan_inatl

          1 year ago

          Crypto 1.0

          Reply
    • californiaangels

      1 year ago

      Careful there are no kids around .. could catch a charge w your balls out

      3
      Reply
    • BaseballBrian

      1 year ago

      Probably a lot of guys, and perhaps girls, hanging around with balls.

      2
      Reply
  4. dkhits20

    1 year ago

    Hallelujah

    1
    Reply
  5. RunDMC

    1 year ago

    This guy’s special. Glad to see him up.

    2
    Reply
  6. For Love of the Game

    1 year ago

    Tigers confirm on Twitter that Greene is being called up tomorrow.

    1
    Reply
  7. JayHeck2158

    1 year ago

    Maybe he’ll help Torkelson get back on track

    4
    Reply
  8. notagain27

    1 year ago

    Now they can send Torkelson down to AAA where he can develop.

    3
    Reply
  9. Jm207* 2

    1 year ago

    Meadows in on the lineup tonight. How is he on the covid IL?

    Reply
  10. MikeJ838

    1 year ago

    Austin Meadows=Nick Esasky

    Reply
    • GarryHarris

      1 year ago

      I think SEA 3B Jim Presley career was cut short by vertigo as well in the 1980s.

      Reply
  11. Walewanderscurtains

    1 year ago

    Shame on the Tigers for bringing him in on a Saturday home game. If they really cared about winning they would bring him in as soon as he was ready, not waiting for a Saturday to increase ticket sales. Fire Hinch. Sit Baez and Schoop until they can start being productive.

    1
    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      1 year ago

      I seem to recall Hinch had a *very effective* method of getting players to perform very well offensively in Houston….what was that again? It was as easy as the push of a button, as one might say.

      3
      Reply
    • hitztheball

      1 year ago

      You announce it on a Friday to play Saturday to give his parents a day to travel to see him

      Reply
  12. dkhits20

    1 year ago

    “Sit Baez and Schoop until they can start being productive.” How would that work exactly? LOL.

    1
    Reply
    • Walewanderscurtains

      1 year ago

      Put them on the bench. Not that hard to figure out

      Reply
      • Dumpster Divin Theo

        1 year ago

        Uh. He doesn’t get it.

        2
        Reply
  13. warnbeeb

    1 year ago

    So they bring him up and sit him on the bench. Reyes, W. Castro and Grossman in OF.

    How much worse can Riley be?

    If you’re going to stink you might as well stink with your best prospects out there.

    1
    Reply
    • gotigers68

      1 year ago

      Bye, bye Grossman.

      1
      Reply
    • hitztheball

      1 year ago

      They are bringing him up for Saturdays game. If my son was going to the Bigs I would appreciate the club giving me a day to travel to get there

      Reply
  14. jbigz12

    1 year ago

    Lol baez was such a terrible contract.

    Reply
    • tigers_fan_inatl

      1 year ago

      And if he does turn it around, several opt outs that give him all the leverage. Avila gave him a $140m poor play insurance policy.

      Reply
  15. tradepartner

    1 year ago

    Too much pressure from day one on Baez to carry the Tigers. Not a good enough surrounding cast. He’s not steady enough on a day in, day out basis.

    Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      1 year ago

      Baez will come around and hit. True, he needs a better surrounding cast. Greene, Tork and others will hit better as will Baez.

      Baez has “opt outs” in his deal, so if he is thinking/motivated by getting an even bigger deal, then he better pick up the pace big time,

      Reply

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