Riley Greene 2023 Player Outlook: Be Cautious Buying Into A Breakout
2 years agoDetroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene was a top prospect in all of baseball heading into the 2022 season. He began the year at Triple-A but was called up on June 18 and hit .253 with five home runs, 46 runs, 42 RBI, and one stolen base across 93 games. He'll improve as a hitter in 2023, with his debut season behind him and a few more things going his way. However, Greene has some weaknesses to work on before he can truly break out. He struck out 28.7% of the time this year and owned a 26% mark during his minor league career. High strikeout rates moving forward will affect Greene's batting average, and his .354 BABIP means he was lucky to even hit above .250. The 22-year-old's power was underrated, as his 9.1 xHR and 60th percentile barrel rate show. Although Comerica Park's dimensions will be more hitter-friendly in 2023, it should still grade out as a pitcher's park, and if Greene can't figure out how to hit the ball in the air after posting a 56.8% ground ball rate, he'll find it challenging to display his true power. It might seem like the youngster would be a decent baserunner based on his athleticism, but his 59th-percentile sprint speed doesn't stand out much, and he's projected for just seven stolen bases next year. He still has loads of potential and will likely be a four-category contributor once he matures, but he still has some things to work on to reach his ceiling. Fantasy managers have better options going later in the draft with a safer floor than Greene (197 ADP), like Ramon Laureano (219 ADP) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (224 ADP).