August 13, 2015
Conner Greene spent time in Dunedin earlier in 2015. (Jim Goins/Dunedin Blue Jays)
(MANCHESTER)—It’s another case in which a young pitcher emerges from the darkness of the tunnel, and into the sunny dugout. All eyes are on him as he makes his first Double-A start, and quality outings are just what he needs to put him one closer to dream of making it to the big leagues.
Conner Greene is the Toronto Blue Jays #9 Top Prospect. (connergreene.com)
Conner Greene, who is just 20 years old, was recently promoted from the Dunedin Blue Jays (A+) to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA) and is expected to contribute is a positive manner as the Fishers begin to wrap up their 2015 season. The right-handed hurler is ranked as the Blue Jays #9 prospect, and numerous scouting reports scream praise about his athletic performance and dominant fastball, but also note that he is still young and needs to iron out several kinks.
“The Blue Jays thought enough of him to move him up to this level after seeing what he could do over the past month,” said Fisher Cats manager Bobby Meacham. “I think the idea is to get him here, see what he can do, and test if he is mature enough to excel at this level.”
The beginning of his professional dates back to 2013. After being selected by the Blue Jays in the 7th round of the 2013 draft, he was assigned to Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, Toronto’s Rookie level affiliate. In his first two seasons (’13 and ’14), he pitched well, splitting his time with the GCL Blue Jays as well the Bluefield Blue Jays in the Appalachian League. Greene started this 2015 season with the Lansing, but had made quick work through the system, advancing to Dunedin, and he has now been in “the Granite State” with the Double-A club for a couple of days now.
Greene took the hill for the first time in New Hampshire on Thursday night. Going into the game, the Fisher Cats were hoping to snap a four-game losing streak and win at least the final game of the three-game series with the inter-division rival Akron RubberDucks. He had high expectations, as he was coming off a career-best start with Dunedin, in which he threw seven innings
(Headshot courtesy of MiLB.com)
and struck out a new personal best of ten Daytona hitters. According to the skipper, there wasn’t much to say to the newcomer as he prepared for his first Double-A start.
“I don’t give him too much,” said Meacham. “I just gave him basic information about the other team, and he watched the first couple of games (of this series) and familiarized himself with what he’d have to face.”
In his Fisher Cats debut, the California native, had pitched exceptional outing. He threw six scoreless innings, gave up just three hits, walked three, and fanned one Akron hitter.
While his next start has yet to be officially announced, Greene will most likely take the hill for New Hampshire on the road next week against Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) on the road.
FIELD LIGHTS AND SPOTLIGHTS: Aside from skills out on the pitcher’s mound, Conner Greene is a model and an actor. He has starred in several commercials, and even appeared on an episode of FX series “Anger Management,” which stars Charlie Sheen, who also attended Greene’s alma mater, Santa Monica High School. His list of television and film work can be found on his IMDB profile.
Patrick Cavanaugh
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