MESA, Ariz. -- The velocity was there, and so were some offspeed pitches. Add that to having more maturity in his first big league camp, and Reds top prospect Hunter Greene enjoyed a strong first outing of spring.

Pitching a scoreless fifth inning in relief during a 3-2 Reds loss to the Cubs on Monday, Greene faced four batters and notched two strikeouts. He threw 17 pitches with 10 strikes -- with seven pitches reaching at least 100 mph.

¡°It felt great,¡± Greene said. ¡°A little different coming out of the ¡®pen, but I had a good plan going into it. I asked a couple of questions to our staff and some of the other bullpen relieving guys. They helped me a little bit, too. But I felt great, stayed warm between the innings. Not used to the mound having craters, but it¡¯s great, man. It¡¯s going to happen. I was able to still go out there and do a pretty good job.¡±

Greene, 22, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Cincinnati¡¯s No. 1 prospect and No. 22 overall. He struck out the first batter, Narciso Crook, swinging with a 101-mph fastball. Second batter Sergio Alc¨¢ntara grounded out on a 2-2 changeup.

¡°Just trying to keep guys off balance,¡± Greene said. ¡°I know everybody knows I throw hard, so guys are going to come in. The first hitter that was in there was cheating a little bit on the fastball. You see the swing, you see where he¡¯s at in the box and you just make your adjustments there.¡±

The inning should have been over when Dixon Machado popped up a 100-mph fastball near first base, but Colin Moran lost the ball in the sun. It landed on the infield for a single.

Greene¡¯s most formidable foe was two-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras, who dueled in a seven-pitch sequence with a full count. The final pitch was an 89-mph called third strike.

¡°I wasn¡¯t even looking at him, man,¡± Greene said. ¡°I was so locked in, just looking right at the glove, trying to keep my tempo up. I¡¯m usually pretty good about that. I felt like I found that even before the first pitch. I wish there was some other big dogs in there, but that time will come, and I¡¯ll be ready.¡±

A year ago, Greene was in Minor League camp but appeared in his first Spring Training game with a barrage of high velocities. Now he¡¯s in his first big league camp, competing for a rotation spot after splitting last season between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville.

¡°A little bit more maturity, and I was a little bit more prepared coming in this year -- as I should be, right?¡± he said. ¡°With this lockout [and] a little bit more time, I felt good. I felt like I was in control. I think that¡¯s most important -- to slow the game down, take a deep breath and go out there and have fun.¡±

¡°He looked like he belongs here,¡± Reds manager David Bell said. ¡°More importantly, he felt that. It¡¯s never going to be easy, for any of these guys. Not even Hunter. But having that confidence that you belong is really helpful. That¡¯s what it looked like. I¡¯m glad to hear him say that.¡±

Greene is scheduled to make his second Spring Training appearance in a start against the Giants on Saturday.

More ABs for Senzel
While the Reds played the Cubs, center fielder Nick Senzel remained at Cincinnati's complex in Goodyear, Ariz., to play in a Minor League game. Most of the starters are playing in early Cactus League games every other day, but Bell wanted Senzel to get more at-bats this spring after he missed 120 games in 2021 with a left knee injury after he had missed large chunks of games in 2019-20, too.

¡°Those days are great, not just for Nick but our other position players will do the same thing,¡± Bell said. ¡°You can lead off every inning. Get up to nine at-bats. Or maybe he feels good after four, and he can walk off, and it¡¯s really nice. It never happens in a real game where you keep getting at-bats and make adjustments. Keep working through it for a whole game. We¡¯ll do it again. Just trying to make opportunities for him to get his timing and get comfortable.¡±

Sanmartin makes spring debut?
Before Greene appeared, left-handed pitcher Reiver Sanmartin pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning with one strikeout. Sanmartin, who was 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two big league starts at the end of last season, is competing for a rotation or a bullpen spot.?

¡°I feel great,¡± Sanmartin said via interpreter Tomas Vera. ¡°Honestly, I appreciate the opportunity, that¡¯s the No. 1 thing. Whatever the team wants me to do, I¡¯ll be ready to work.¡±