Guardians Newest Pitching Prospect Shines In Organization Debut

One of the most encouraging parts of this start was the command that Stephen presented on the mound. Of those 38 pitches he threw, 68 percent of them landed as strikes.

Even though Stephen missed a few weeks with the shoulder injury, he’s still made plenty of progress during the 2025 minor league season. 

The 2024 draft pick started the year at Toronto’s Florida complex (equivalent to the Arizona Complex the Guardians have), but quickly worked his way up to High-A, where he made nine starts before the Blue Jays promoted him to Double-A. He made one start at that level before the trade to Cleveland.

Based on this progression, it’s no wonder the Guardians still had an interest in Stephen after they heavily scouted him heading into last year’s draft.

There’s still a long way to go before Stephen is an option for Cleveland’s rotation. At best, the 22-year-old may be banging on the door for a promotion in the late-summer months of 2026.

However, in just one start, Stephen showed why the Guardians were willing to part with a former Cy Young winner and face of the franchise to acquire him. He has elite command, a true six-pitch mix, and incredible extensions, which are all things the Guardians look for in their pitching prospects.

Stephen has only made one start with Cleveland’s organization, but all of the underlying metrics point to him being an important piece to the Guardians’ future. 

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