Rapid Robert And Michael Spin The Radar Gun

Robert Stephenson and Michael Lorenzen sit side by side in the Reds' spring training clubhouse.

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Both can get the ball up to home plate in rapid fashion.

The two young pitchers threw pitches very close to 100 mph in the Reds' game against Kansas City on Tuesday.

Stephenson was the Reds top pick in the 2011 draft out of Alhambra High School in Martinez, California.

The 21-year old is rapidly rising through the Reds' organization but has learned that major league hitters don't care how hard a pitcher throws.  Stephenson has pitched three innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk.  On Tuesday the Royals reached him for two runs on five hits.

"Stephenson is a hard thrower. I think the best thing that can happen sometimes in these camps, is that the hard throwers give up some hits," manager Bryan Price said.  "Sheer velocity on rare exceptions overpowers big league hitters.  This is a good introduction.  Our young guys put up velocity numbers but the ball finds the barrel of the bat. You have to manage the fastball, manage the strike zone and you've got to pitch down."

"The good thing is he didn't back down," Price said.  "You can't teach velocity.

Lorenzen, who played outfield mostly at Cal-State Fullerton, had such a good arm the coaches there asked him to pitch.  He has been clocked at 100 mph.

The Reds' pick in the Competitive Lottery Round, has appeared in two games.  He surrendered three runs in his first inning of work but threw a perfect inning against the Royals with a fastball that reached 97.7 of the scoreboard gun.

"Lorenzen doesn't labor to get velocity," Price said.  "There in lies the deception.  He was throwing easy and throwing hard."

The Reds have another hard thrower in 30-year old, 279 pound reliever Jumbo Diaz.  He was clocked at 96.

"We have some hard throwers in camp. That's for sure," Price said.