Lawrence Free State pitcher Dale Miller delivers a pitch during the Firebirds game against Shawnee Mission East Tuesday, April 25, at FSH.

A high school baseball player in Southern California by the name of Hunter Greene made his way onto the cover of Sports Illustrated recently. That’s what happens when a teenager blasts tape-measure shots, reaches triple digits on the radar gun and exhibits insane range at shortstop.

Baseball America projects Greene as the No. 1 pick in the baseball’s June free-agent draft.

Greene’s fastest pitch reportedly was clocked at 102 mph.

Halfway across the world, in Japan, Shohei Otani of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball’s Pacific League had his fastball clocked at 102.5 mph. An outfielder or designated hitter when not pitching, Otani hit .322 and hit 22 home runs in 385 plate appearances and went 15-5 with a 2.24 ERA and three shutouts. Otani has sent word that he wants to play in the Major Leagues but will only sign with a team that will let him pitch and play regularly in the lineup.

Greene and Otani, also recently featured in Sports Illustrated, could revolutionize the way baseball teams view superstar athletes willing to break the mold, but baseball is one stubborn beast to confront. You just can’t do both. Babe Ruth was the last to do it with serious success, although hats off to Rick Ankiel, who scrapped his pitching career after an incurable bout with Steve Blass Disease, reinvented himself as an outfielder in the minors and became a good enough hitter to return to the big leagues.

Greene and Otani, 22, might eventually have to settle for devoting themselves full-time to pitching because baseball is short on innovators and long on tradition.

If they don’t bring about change, we’ll have to look in the college ranks to find pitchers who play in the field as well. Bobby Thigpen, who in 1990 set the since-broken Major League saves record with 57 for the Chicago White Sox, batted fifth in a Mississippi State lineup that featured Rafael Palmeiro and Will Clark.

In high school, it’s common, of course, and some high school baseball players show enough with their arms and bats that colleges recruit them with the idea of having them do both.

Long lefty Dale Miller didn’t have his signature pinpoint control Monday after walking four, but he did have his sweet lefty swing working well enough to help himself on his way to becoming the winning pitcher in Free State’s 8-5 victory against host Lawrence High on Monday.

Miller pitched five innings, allowed four hits, one earned run, walked a season-high four and struck out four. He blasted a two-run double in the third inning on his way to a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Baker baseball coach Ryan Goodwin, also spotted watching Nate Strathman warm up in the bullpen for the Firebirds, was there to scout Miller and chat him up after the game.

Miller said Baker is recruiting him with the intention of using him as a pitcher and first baseman.

“I get really amped up pitching,” Miller said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Miller has done a terrific job in his first season pitching for the varsity in following coach Mike Hill’s instructions: Throw strikes and let the defense do the work.

“I believe in them,” Miller said. “(Second baseman) Jake Rittman’s had three or four web gems. Zion (Bowlin, best baseball player in Lawrence) has had a few. Shortstop Matt (Hill) has had quite a few great backhand plays.”

He continued his praise, moving from the infield to the outfield.

“They’re a vacuum sweeper out there,” Miller said. “It’s incredible. I know when a ball is in the air and I’m on the mound it’s probably going to get caught.”

Miller also likes what he sees from balls in the air heading back in from the outfield.

“(Jacob) Pavlyak, the other day (against Shawnee Mission West), there was a runner on second base, I was playing first base, he threw it right through me, one-hopped the catcher and he was able to gun him out.”