Greene refines his powerful arsenal for his fifth season.
Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene is no stranger to high expectations, and as spring training rolls on in Goodyear, Arizona, the 26-year-old is taking stock of what it takes to stay at the top.
Greene spoke at camp about the mental side of pitching and how hard it is to keep everything in sync when you throw as hard as he does.
"I throw really hard. I have never thought that I overthrow, but I have a lot of output and force, and I am a big guy," Greene said.
"There are a lot that have to be working and firing on all cylinders. It is just really hard to check all of those boxes, and we are doing it at the highest level."
That self-awareness is a big reason why the Reds feel good about their ace heading into a pivotal 2026 season.
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Greene put up some of the best numbers of his career last season, but a nagging groin injury landed him on the IL twice and limited him to 19 starts.
When healthy, he was dominant, posting a 2.76 ERA, a career-best 0.94 WHIP and 132 strikeouts against 26 walks.
His fastball averaged 99.5 mph, and his swing-and-miss numbers ranked in the 89th percentile or better.
The problem was never about the stuff, it was about staying on the field long enough to put it all together.
He has topped 150 innings just once in his career, and that has been the one thing keeping him from Cy Young-level recognition.
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Greene knows the challenge ahead and his comments showed a maturity that should excite Reds fans.
"That is my job, that is my responsibility. I have to be able to figure those things out," Greene said.
"I feel like I am getting better at it. It's a process. If everyone had a crystal ball and it was so easy you would see everyone do it year after year after year. Obviously, that's not the case."
He also stressed that his drive goes beyond personal goals, saying he has "a big responsibility not just for the fans but for the team."
The Reds went 83-79 last season and reached the playoffs as the final National League Wild Card before getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cincinnati is 5-4 in spring training and looking to take the next step behind a rotation featuring Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo.
Greene is also adding a new weapon this spring in a two-seam fastball that he worked on all offseason.
He used the pitch in the minor leagues early in his career but moved away from it as he leaned into his four-seam fastball with heavy carry at the big league level.
The idea behind bringing it back is to give hitters a different look and let Greene attack them horizontally, and manager Terry Francona likes what it could add to the arsenal.
"Any time you give a hitter a different look, it's something they have to respect," Francona said.
Greene called the new offering something he is excited about, telling reporters, "It's going to be a great offering. I'm excited to get going. You'll see it a good bit."
MLB Network ranked Greene as the 10th best starting pitcher in baseball entering the year, and a healthy season with a deeper pitch mix could push him even higher.
He turns 27 in August with back-to-back sub-2.80 ERA seasons under his belt, and the mental growth he is showing this spring could be the final piece.
If Greene stays healthy for 28 to 30 starts, the Reds will not just be a scrappy Wild Card team, they will be a real threat in the NL Central.