The Cincinnati Reds, who didn't have any guaranteed contracts on their payroll following this season, made a long-term commitment with Opening Day starter Hunter Greene.
The 23-year-old Greene signed a six-year, $53 million contract extension, the team announced before Tuesday's game. The contract begins this season and bought out at least the first year he was eligible for free agency. The deal includes a $21 million club option for a seventh season, in 2029, with a $2 million buyout.
There are performance escalators in Greene's contract for the 2028 season and club option year that could bump the total value of the contract to $96.2 million, sources familiar with the contract told The Enquirer. Greene, who received a $2 million signing bonus, is guaranteed $1 million in 2023, $3 million in '24, $6 million in '25, $8 million in '26, $15 million in '27 and $16 million in '28.
The long-term extension cements Greene's place as one of the faces of the franchise as they move through their current rebuild. Greene, who pitches with the highest average fastball velocity among all MLB starting pitchers, owns a 5-13 record and a 4.42 ERA through his first 28 career starts. He's struck out 188 batters in 144 2/3 innings.
"The commitment we made to Hunter reflects his commitment to this organization and to our community," Reds owner Bob Castellini said in a statement. "He is part of the foundation of young players who will continue to help us build a successful Major League team."
Greene, the sixth-youngest pitcher on an Opening Day roster this year, is the first Reds player to sign a contract extension since Sonny Gray agreed to a three-year, $30.5 million deal in 2019. Greene forms the core of the Reds' rotation alongside 25-year-olds Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft.
The Reds, through the contract extension, showed their belief in Greene's ability to develop into one of the better pitchers in the league. He had a 1.75 ERA across his last eight starts last year with 66 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. It's rare for teams to sign pitchers to a contract extension within their first two seasons in the majors and it was the largest contract the Reds gave to a player before he was eligible for salary arbitration.
“Knowing the history here, I know the potential is there to bring it back,” Greene said when he was named the Opening Day starter. “(Cincinnati) is a baseball city. We know that we've got to go out there and win. We’re working extremely hard. We want to win just as much as the fans. We want to bring that atmosphere back to the city. That’s the most exciting part, knowing the potential.”
Greene wasn't eligible to reach free agency until after the 2027 season, but the contract extension gives him financial security. He left his start Monday after he was hit on the shin by a ground ball comebacker, but the Reds expect him to avoid the injured list. He was sidelined for one month last year with a shoulder strain.
The 6-foot-5 righthander has been in the spotlight for most of his life. He was featured on a Sports Illustrated cover in high school, which called him "the star baseball needs." He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft and reached the majors in fewer than 170 minor league innings, missing one season after he underwent Tommy John surgery.
"The city means a lot to him," Reds Manager David Bell said of Greene during spring training. "Hunter is a player and a person – very, very early in his career – who cares about those things. He cares about other people. He cares about making a difference in the community and playing a big role on our team and being a big part of our team in a lot of ways."
The Reds, as they attempt to transition from rebuilder to playoff contender in future seasons, made sure Greene was a prominent part of their future. Greene's six-year contract is the longest deal signed by a Reds player since Eugenio Suárez's seven-year, $66 million contract extension in 2018.
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