4. Robert Stephenson, RHP
Birthdate: 2/24/93 (23 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AAA/MLB
Stats in 2016: 136 2/3 IP, 4.41 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 12.01 BB%, 20.3 K% (minor league stats only)
Seeing Stephenson fall off in the eyes of many scouts has to feel like prospect fatigue for many as he’s just 23 and still owns a monster fastball.
However, watching Stephenson in the last year has shown some major concerns. That fastball is a legit 70-80 grade on the 20-80 scale, but for a guy who was able to work well with that fastball low in the zone and command it fairly well. The big question with Stephenson previously was always about his ability to control his off-speed stuff.
Stephenson is a guy who can bump triple digits with his fastball without a whole lot of effort
Stephenson is a guy who can bump triple digits with his fastball without a whole lot of effort. He tried in 2015 to take a couple ticks off the fastball for better control, but it also took movement off of his excellent curve ball.
He reached the majors this year, but his control became an issue, and attempting to overcome that control led to flattening of his fastball and change, which led to them both getting hit hard, leading to 9 home runs allowed in just 37 major league innings.
With his high-end pitches, Stephenson likely has another year or two working as a starter before they force him into a relief role. I believe he would be an elite reliever with his big fastball, excellent change, and power curve, but there’s still enough chance that he could be a late bloomer as a starter to leave him this high.
Next: #3