Late on Tuesday, the Cincinnati Reds made a key move to lock up one of their future stars as they continue to rebuild and retool.
Hunter Greene made his MLB debut last season and became a key piece of the Reds starting rotation.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Reds and Greene have agreed on a contract extension.
The deal is for six years and is worth $53 million.
An option for a seventh year is also included in the deal.
Passan announced the news of the Reds’ latest move on Twitter and provided the details of the new contract.
BREAKING: Right-hander Hunter Greene and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a six-year, $53 million contract extension that includes a seventh-year option, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Details free and unlocked at ESPN:
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 18, 2023
The 23-year-old burst onto the scene in 2022 and cracked the Reds Opening Day rotation.
Last season, he went 5-13 with a 4.44 ERA in 24 starts, one of which was a complete game.
This year, he has yet to earn a decision in his first four starts, but he has a 4.24 ERA over 17 innings of work and has struck out 24 batters and posted a 1.53 WHIP.
Greene, a native of Los Angeles, was selected by the Reds in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft with the second pick.
The young, hard-throwing right-hander attended the University of Notre Dame.
But Greene may be just the first player the Reds are planning to sign to a contract extension.
The Reds do have a plethora of young pitchers and stars that appear ready to make an impact and usher in the next era of Reds baseball.
Left-hander Nick Lodolo is also on the list of young stars.
NEXT:
The Reds Keep Looking Toward The Future
