2022 NL Rookie of the Year odds: Pitcher Hunter Greene wins job in Cincinnati Reds' rotation, will debut April 10 vs. Braves

The new collective bargaining agreement between the owners and MLB Players' Association didn't really address that much in terms of teams manipulating service time for top prospects by holding them down a few weeks at the start of a season to delay free agency by a year. Thus, many top Rookie of the Year candidates in 2022 likely will start in the minors. But not Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene, who is +900 to win NL Rookie of the Year at Caesars Sportsbook.

Greene was considered by most scouts as the top prospect in the 2017 amateur draft out of Notre Dame High School in California but was picked second overall by the Reds – one spot behind another California high schooler, shortstop Royce Lewis, who went to the Twins. Lewis hasn't debuted in the majors yet, either. Initially selected as a two-way player, Greene has shifted solely to the mound.

Now 22, Greene has already had Tommy John surgery that cost him part of the 2018 season and all of 2019 – there was no minor-league season in 2020 due to the pandemic. Last year across Double-A and Triple-A, the right-hander was regularly hitting 100 mph and finished 10-8 overall with a 3.30 ERA in 21 starts with 139 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.

MLB.com ranks him as the No. 22 overall prospect in the game. In three innings of work in spring training games this year, Greene hasn't allowed a run. He's struck out three and has not issued a walk.

The Reds are going to stink this year after selling off or dumping good players such as Tucker Barnhart, Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker and starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Wade Miley. Thus, they might as well see what Greene has and give fans a reason to show up at the ballpark. It was announced today that Greene will break camp with the team and serve as the No. 4 starter with his big-league debut set for Sunday at defending World Series champion Atlanta presuming no rainouts.

The current betting favorite for NL Rookie of the Year is Pirates infielder Oneil Cruz at +400, but he was optioned to the minors Tuesday.  The Bucs used "defensive seasoning" as their justification.

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