Greene has major league goals

WHEN DEALING with minor league prospects, it is important to remember that patience is the key to long-term success.

Now in his second season in the Phillies organization, outfielder Larry Greene has experienced both ups and downs over the course of his first 2 years. Greene, 20, has yet to live up to his personal expectations at Class A Lakewood but believes it is all part of the process of adjusting to the next level.

Greene was selected 39th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Berrien County High School in Nashville, Ga. While he was expected to be drafted between the second and third round, the Phillies selected the lefthanded slugger at the end of the first round for his raw ability and potential at the plate.

"That was a good day for me and my family. It is just a blessing to play and I was thankful for the Phillies picking me that high," Greene said. "I am just doing what I can to get better now and I feel that I am getting better each day. There was some pressure, but I just want to stay calm and stay focused and do what I can; that's all I am trying to do here."

In his first season with Class A short-season affiliate Williamsport last year, Greene batted .272/.373/.381 with 22 doubles, two homers and 26 RBI in 70 games. After a promotion to Class A Lakewood to begin this season, Greene has batted .212/.305/.300 with 17 doubles, four homers and 27 RBI in 97 games. He has struggled mightily against lefthanded pitching, batting .125/.195/.183 with one homer.

"Larry started out slow," Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini said. "It took him a while to get adjusted here coming out of spring training, but the last month or so he has been very good. His average has really increased and his contact is better, his defense is better, he is running the bases well and he is getting there."

At the end of the first half of the season, Greene was batting .182 in 159 at-bats with one homer. Following the All-Star break, Greene has seen great improvement and has raised his average significantly. Since June 20, he is batting .237/.313/.340 in 51 games with three homers in 194 at-bats.

"There have definitely been differences from the first half, starting with my focus," Greene said. "My focus has been much better and I am just trying to stay confident. I also recognize that tomorrow is another day and if I don't do well one day, there is always the next to improve."

"He is just more confident overall," Morandini said. "He is a confident kid right now and he is in that batting cage every day working hard and working on different things and it is starting to pay off for him."

As a 6-foot, 235-pound outfielder, many believe Greene's future may be at first base although he has above-average speed for a player his size. In addition to his size, power and hitting from the left side of the plate, Greene shares many of the same characteristics of current Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, but he likes to compare himself more to his favorite player, Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder.

During his high school years, Greene spent the majority of his time in the field at third base with a little bit of time at first. It was not until his junior year that he was placed in the outfield, a position that Greene still believes he needs to improve upon.

"The outfield is still a learning experience for me to this day, but I have gotten way better and I am adapting," Greene said. "Maybe one day I will move positions to first base or wherever it may be, but right now I am just trying to be an outfielder and trying to be the best I can be."

Although Greene is usually one of the biggest players on the field, Morandini and teammates really have been impressed by his speed in the field and on the base paths.

In addition to baseball, Greene was a linebacker in high school who received offers to play at Alabama, Georgia Tech, LSU, Texas Tech and Auburn. He has always been considered speedy for his size. Morandini projected Greene as a player who could potentially steal 15-to-20 bases per season in the majors.

"I have seen a lot of improvement in his overall game," Lakewood first baseman Art Charles said. "He is constantly doing early work with the instructors and he gets here really early every day. It's not really surprising that he is a really good baserunner because he runs hard every time, and even when he hits a pop up, he runs everything out."

One of the main reasons Greene was selected in the first round 2 years ago was because of his potential for power. Greene has hit only four homers this season and has just six in 610 at-bats over his short career, but it often takes a player a few years to develop power.

"I am not worried about his power, I mean he is 20 years old for crying out loud. He is still learning how to hit, learning how to be an everyday player and is still learning how to be a professional," Morandini said. "The power will come and [FirstEnergy Park] is one of the biggest parks in the league and he has hit plenty of balls on the warning track. If he is playing anywhere else, he probably has 12 or 13 homers, so I'm not worried about his power."

Before making the next step in his career, Morandini and Greene would both like to see consistency in the young outfielder's game. While he has made giant strides since the All-Star break in June, Greene believes he still has a few things to improve before making his major league debut.

"I want to develop more power and better my all-around skills more," Greene said. "I think I would like to make the big leagues by the time I am 22 or 23. I know it is a lot of work, but that is what the minors are for, and I plan on working hard for the next couple of years and we will see where it goes."

On Twitter: @JohnMurrow12