The experts at Baseball America and former MLB exec Keith Law agree: Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson are two of the top five prospects in baseball. And Greene has the tools to one day be an MVP.
In his annual ranking of the top 100 prospects in baseball for The Athletic, Law gushed about Greene, the smooth-swinging, heavy-hitting outfielder who's poised to debut for the Tigers this season. Possibly as soon as Opening Day.
"Greene has wicked bat speed, has already come into plus power with the chance for more, and has become a better runner and defender since entering pro ball," writes Law. "He's more than playable in center, at least for now, and would probably be plus in either corner if he either outgrows the middle or is bumped for a better defensive centerfielder."
Greene finished out last season in Triple-A Toledo where he posted a .953 OPS in 40 games, "a performance that would have been impressive if he'd done it in A-ball," says Law. What's more, the left-handed hitter was even better against left-handed pitchers. To top it all off, he stole 15 bases in 16 attempts and flashed the leather in center field. At 21, Greene isn't a potential star. He's a potential superstar.
Law says "he makes such consistently hard contact that he looks like he'll hit for average and power even if he punches out 27-28 percent of the time. I could see .300/.400/.550 seasons here, and if he does that in centerfield, he'll be on the shortlist of candidates for the best player in baseball."
By the way, .300/.400/.550 is almost exactly what Greene did last year in Triple A: .308/.400/.553. And that was a jump from his already elite numbers in Double-A. At every level of the minors, Greene has elevated his game. The majors are next.
And let's not forget Torkelson, who has MVP potential himself and a bat that's "clearly ready for the majors right now," according to Law.
The former first overall pick who smacked 30 homers as he climbed from A-ball to Triple A last season is "a monster at the plate with patience and power, great pitch recognition, and a solid two-strike approach," writes Law.
Torkelson, 22, saw his average dip to .238 over 40 games in Triple-A, but still managed an OPS of .881 thanks to a good eye and extra-base power.
"If he ends up a .250ish hitter it might seem like a disappointment, even though he'll probably pile 75-plus walks and 30-odd homers on top of that, enough to make him a huge impact bat in the middle of a lineup," writes Law.
