Riley Greene

Riley Greene's Biography

Born on September 28, 2000, Riley Alan Greene is an esteemed American professional baseball player known for his impressive skills as an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, a prestigious team in Major League Baseball (MLB). His journey in baseball started at a young age, reaching a peak when he was selected fifth overall by the Tigers in the 2019 MLB draft. This marked the beginning of an impressive career in professional baseball that saw him making his MLB debut as early as 2022.

Raised in Ovideo, Florida, Greene’s love for baseball grew as he attended Paul J. Hagerty High School. It was at this institution he started honing his skills as he played on the school’s baseball team alongside Vaughn Grissom. In 2018, he got the opportunity to represent his country in the U-18 Pan-American Championships as part of Team USA.

Greene’s prowess continued to shine bright during his senior year in 2019. His stellar performance included an impressive .422 batting average, eight home runs, and 27 runs batted in (RBIs). His dedication to the game led him to commit to playing college baseball at the University of Florida. However, destiny had other plans for the budding athlete.

Growing recognition for his potential placed Greene as one of the coveted prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. Falling into the keen eyes of the Detroit Tigers, he was picked fifth overall in the draft. On June 5, the Tigers signed Greene to a contract complete with a $6.18 million signing bonus.

Greene hit the ground running, making his professional debut with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Tigers on June 24, 2019. His exceptional playing saw him promoted to the Connecticut Tigers. Come August, he had earned a promotion to the West Michigan Whitecaps. Despite the tough competition, he continued to impress, scoring .271/.347/.403 with five home runs and 28 RBIs across 57 games between the three clubs.

The following year was a year of standstill for Greene as the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he resumed in 2021 with the Erie SeaWolves. He earned accolades by representing the Tigers in the All-Star Futures Game alongside Spencer Torkelson. His stint in 2021 also saw him promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens. Playing 124 games in the season, his statistics soared as he scored .301/.387/.534 with 24 home runs, 84 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, 25 doubles, and eight triples. Consequently, he was named the 4th best prospect in the Baseball America’s annual Top 100 list for 2022.

The year 2022 held much promise for the rising star. The Tigers had included Greene on their Opening Day roster but fate had other plans as he fractured his right foot. Recovery didn’t hold him back long, and by June, he was back in the game. On the day of his return, Greene marked his arrival into the Majors by hitting a single in his first at-bat.

The 2022 season continued to be fruitful for Greene as he hit a walk-off home run off Joel Payamps of the Kansas City Royals, his first in a MLB game. This rare achievement made him the first Tigers player since Lou Whitaker in 1978 to accomplish such a feat. His consistent performances saw him named the 2022 Detroit Tigers Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Media Association and Tiger of the Year by the Detroit Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

In 2023, Greene continued his stellar performances for Detroit with 11 home runs, 37 RBIs, and seven stolen bases. However, a right elbow inflammation brought his season to a sudden halt in September. It was later revealed that he needed surgery to repair his non-throwing elbow and subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery. Recovery saw him sit out the rest of the season, but it was projected that he would be game-ready by the start of 2024.

Greene’s resilience paid off and in the 2024 season, he was selected to represent the Tigers in the 2024 All-Star Game along with teammate Tarik Skubal. At the time of his selection, Greene was hitting .258 with 17 home runs and 45 RBI. His defensive skills also garnered attention as he ranked fourth among AL outfielders with an .863 OPS, and third among AL left fielders with a plus-8 Defensive Runs Saved rating. Greene entered the All-Star game as a reserve in left field, proving that despite his surgery, he was still a force to be reckoned with on the field.

Today, Riley Greene stands as a remarkable talent in American baseball, a testament to his dedication and love for the sport. His journey continues to inspire millions of fans and aspiring baseball players, reaffirming the fact that with tenacity and hard work, one can achieve greatness.