Green, a seventh-round pick from the Junior College ranks back in 2014, was one of three prospects (along with Dillon Tate and Erik Swanson) sent to New York in the trade that shipped Carlos Beltran to the Rangers at the July 31 trade deadline. The 21-year-old featured some promising peripheral ability as a starter in the Short-Season A Northwest League earlier this season, harboring the league’s second-best K/9 rate (11.5) alongside a surplus of worm-killing contact (5.56 ground out-to-air out ratio) across seven starts. Any combination of whiffs and ground balls can be of value at the major league level – either as a starter or reliever – which piqued my interest in seeing him throw in-person.

Physically, Green has a lean, athletic frame with a build that has some room to fill out in both his upper and lower half. He worked from a high ¾’s arm slot and was able to effectively replicate his quick arm speed in my viewing. His delivery is compact and easily repeatable, with medium effort throughout his motion. He stays online toward plate with minimal falloff to first base, though there is some spine tilt. His windup begins with subtle side step to first base and a level leg lift, showing good balance over the rubber. Green hides the ball well on the backside and masks his pitches well with a consistent arm slot. Creates effective torque with lower body and hip rotation. He’s got average drive off the rubber and creates good extension out front, landing clean with moderate head whack at release. Green maintained clean and loose arm action in the start, though he showed a tendency to cut off his finish when throwing offspeed.

His start last Friday featured an above-average 91-to-94 mph fastball (T95) with heavy sinking action, and was effective when located down in the zone. He stayed around the plate consistently with it, though he employs more control than command of it at this point. Green blended in a 77-to-81 mph curveball as his go-to secondary offering, flashing above-average 11-to-5 shape with plus overall depth and hard, downer action. He used it when down in the count and back-footed it to lefties a handful of times. The pitch will require improved command, though Green shows good feel for the spin and it showcased consistent hard break. Green’s changeup sat in the 83-to-85 mph range and was used mostly vs. lefties. He replicates arm speed and release point when using it. Flashed more fade than drop and he tended to leave it up and arm-side. The changeup remains a work in progress, and he’ll need to use it more for hitters to respect it.

Considering everything, it is understandable why the Yankees showed an interest in acquiring Green in a trade package with Texas. With only moderate effort, he showed one of the better sitting fastball velocities I’ve seen in the NYPL this season with a curveball that flashes potential to be an above-average out pitch at the next level. He does a good job of staying around the plate right now, and the compactness and simplicity of his delivery should help him augment his command for the future. A lot will be determined with his third pitch. The changeup will need to be thrown with more conviction and frequency, especially against right-handed hitters, though he showed repeatable arm speed and subtracted velocity well in relation to the fastball, which are building blocks for its development and future usability. Ideally, Green hones his command, irons out his changeup and becomes an average back-end starter.