Trevor Stephan
| IP | 195.667 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.726 |
| WHIP | 1.297 |
| BB/9 | 3.45 |
| SO/9 | 10.671 |
- Full name Trevor R. Stephan
- Born 11/25/1995 in Magnolia, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Arkansas
- Debut 04/03/2021
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Drafted in the 3rd round (92nd overall) by the New York Yankees in 2017 (signed for $797,500).
View Draft Report
While Blaine Knight came into the season as the presumed Arkansas' ace, Stephan matched him pitch for pitch in 2017. A 6-foot-5, 225-pound transfer from Hill (Texas) JC who turned down the Red Sox as an 18th-round pick in 2016, he was seen at the time as a likely reliever with a fastball and inconsistent secondary options. His slider and changeup improved at Arkansas, as he sharpened his 78-81 mph slider through the season into more of a swing-and-miss offering. Stephan commands his plus fastball, which sits 91-93 mph and touches higher, making it his main weapon. His slider has significant break, but it is more of a chase pitch than something he can throw for strikes. He shows conviction to throw a fringy changeup to lefties and righties, but it's a distant third pitch. Some scouts still see Stephan as a reliever, and he has been erratic. He didn't make it out of the second inning in starts against Alabama and Auburn, but he also finished the regular season with three straight double-digit strikeout games against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: After beginning his college career as a reliever at Hill (Texas) JC, Stephan transferred to Arkansas and pitched in the rotation as a junior. His stuff ticked up with the Razorbacks, which led the Yankees to draft him with their third-round selection and sign him for $797.500. He began his first pro season at high Class A Tampa in 2018 before jumping to Double-A Trenton in late May.
Scouting Report: Stephan pitches primarily with a fastball and a slider, and worked hard in 2018 to improve his changeup. His fastball, which sits in the low-to-mid 90s, shows the type of riding life through the zone that the Yankees covet. He backs that pitch up with an above-average, sweeping slider that he uses to get strikeouts. His changeup needs more repetition, but the organization believes it can be solid-average with improvement. He delivers from a funky, low-slot delivery that adds deception. Stephan worked with pitching coordinator Scott Aldred this year to change his release point and help him stay on top of the baseball throughout his delivery.
The Future: There’s still a split camp about whether Stephan’s ultimate future is in the bullpen or as a starter. He’ll continue try to stay in the rotation back at Double-A Trenton in 2019. -
Stephan began his career at Hill (Texas) JC, where he pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen. He transferred to Arkansas for this junior season and started in all 16 games in which he appeared. His use in the rotation, plus an uptick in stuff, raised his draft stock and led to the Yankees drafting him in the third round and sending him to short-season Staten Island to start his career. His fastball sits in the low-90s and can touch a tick higher. The pitch plays up because of the high, riding life--which the Yankees compare to the fastballs thrown by a pair of other SEC arms who became Yankees: David Robertson and Nick Goody--and the funkiness in Stephan's delivery. He couples the pitch primarily with a slider that developed throughout his college career into an offering that gets swings and misses. He has a changeup as well, but it's well below-average now and will need to be developed further if Stephan is to continue developing as a starter. He's likely to move to low Class A Charleston in 2018.
Draft Prospects
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While Blaine Knight came into the season as the presumed Arkansas' ace, Stephan matched him pitch for pitch in 2017. A 6-foot-5, 225-pound transfer from Hill (Texas) JC who turned down the Red Sox as an 18th-round pick in 2016, he was seen at the time as a likely reliever with a fastball and inconsistent secondary options. His slider and changeup improved at Arkansas, as he sharpened his 78-81 mph slider through the season into more of a swing-and-miss offering. Stephan commands his plus fastball, which sits 91-93 mph and touches higher, making it his main weapon. His slider has significant break, but it is more of a chase pitch than something he can throw for strikes. He shows conviction to throw a fringy changeup to lefties and righties, but it's a distant third pitch. Some scouts still see Stephan as a reliever, and he has been erratic. He didn't make it out of the second inning in starts against Alabama and Auburn, but he also finished the regular season with three straight double-digit strikeout games against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The Yankees' third-round pick out of Arkansas dominated the league. Having thrown 91 innings at Arkansas, Stephan was limited to 60 pitches or less and never threw five innings in a start. But in those shorter stints he was near unhittable. His lone win came when he threw four perfect innings in relief, striking out seven of the 12 batters he faced. Stephan sat 92-94 mph but touched 95-96 regularly. His slider got plenty of swings and misses thanks to his ability to bury it. His changeup has much further to go and is something he'll have to refine as he faces more advanced hitters.
