Potential No. 1 pick Hunter Greene won't pitch again before MLB draft

When highly touted prospect Hunter Greene throws his next pitch in a live game, it will almost assuredly be done in the minor leagues.

Greene - the likely first overall pick in this year's MLB draft who's drawing rave reviews as a baseball prodigy and potential two-way talent in the pros - has decided not to pitch for the rest of his 2017 high school season to protect his arm ahead of the June draft. Both Greene and his high school coach Tom Dill confirmed the decision to Baseball America's Hudson Belinsky in an interview earlier this week.

The 17-year-old will continue to suit up for Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., but he'll only be playing shortstop the rest of the way. He'll also throw bullpen sessions to keep his arm in shape.

Greene is hitting .279 (19-for-68) with an .835 OPS, three homers, 20 RBIs, and 11 runs scored for Notre Dame this season, per MaxPreps.com. But while his skills as a shortstop would make him a likely first-round pick on their own, Greene's star still appears to shine at its brightest on the mound.

In 28 innings pitched as a senior, Greene has allowed just three earned runs (0.75 ERA), and has struck out 43 batters to just four walks. Across his entire high school career he owns a 1.62 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a .183 average. He's wowed scouts with a powerful arm and a fastball that regularly hits the 100-mph mark, and has topped out at 102 mph.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

The buzz surrounding his potential is reaching a fever pitch of late: Although the draft is still two months away, Greene's already snagged one prestigious honor in the form of appearing on the cover of "Sports Illustrated."

The Minnesota Twins hold the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, and Greene has reportedly already met with several members of the team's front office, including chief baseball officer Derek Falvey, Belinsky reports.