Kohl Stewart

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #30 prospect in 2018
  Amid another year of nagging injuries--issues with his left knee sent him to the disabled list twice in 2017 --Stewart saw his once-bright star continue to fade. Left off the 40-man roster and unprotected and unpicked in the Rule 5 draft, the one-time Texas A&M quarterback signee struggled so far. Even his trademark heavy sinker, which he throws at 91-92 mph, dropped off in terms of groundball rate (46.9 percent) in his second crack at the Southern League. A Type-1 diabetic, Stewart doesn't miss bats despite a hard 86-87 mph slider at and a 92-96 mph four-seamer. He also features a 12-to-6 curveball and a slow-developing changeup. Now considered a back-end rotation piece at best, Stewart has struggled both to control his emotions and pick up the nuances of pitch sequencing.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #7 prospect in 2017
  A Texas A&M recruit, Stewart might have succeeded Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at quarterback. Instead, the two-sport star signed with the Twins for $4,544,400 after they drafted him fourth overall in 2013. A type 1 diabetic, Stewart battled second-half shoulder soreness his first two seasons and elbow inflammation in his third. Aside from a brief bout with biceps tendinitis, he shouldered a full workload in 2016. Drafted for his power stuff, Stewart has missed fewer bats than expected. His strikeout rate rose a tick from a subpar 4.9 per nine a year ago, but it still remained a curiously low 5.7 per nine in 2016. Stewart is behind other pitchers his age due to his football background, and the Twins believe his strikeout rate will improve as he learns sequencing and improves the command of his full arsenal. Stewart can touch 96 mph with his four-seamer, but he leans more on his 91-92 two-seamer. He throws a hard slider, up to 87-88 mph, a power 12-to-6 curveball and the occasional changeup. His above-average slider is the best of the mix, but it produces more weak contact than swings and misses. Stewart's next step is Triple-A Rochester, and 2017 could be a big season for him as he tries to establish his identity as a pitcher. He has a No. 3 starter ceiling.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #8 prospect in 2016
  An accomplished high school quarterback who was recruited as the eventual successor to Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M, Stewart was taken fourth overall by the Twins and signed for $4,544,400 as the first prep player taken. A type one diabetic, Stewart saw his first two pro seasons curtailed by second-half shoulder soreness. He missed three weeks in April last season with elbow inflammation, but still managed to increase his career-high innings total by nearly 50 percent. Somewhat curiously, Stewart doesn't get nearly as many swing-and-miss strikes as his pedigree indicates he should. His nine-inning strikeout rate fell sharply for the second straight year in 2015, dipping under 5. His walk rate, meanwhile, climbed for a second straight year as well (3.13/9). He increasingly relied on his low-90s two-seam fastball, although he was still capable of reaching back for 96 mph when needed. Stewart has been content to use his hard sinker to induce early-count groundballs, resulting in a 2-to-1 groundout-to-airout rate. His mid-80s slider and 12-to-6 curve are reliable weapons but tend to produce weak contact rather than whiffs. He needs to trust his changeup more because it shows good sink and fade and lefties hit 47 points higher off him (.298) than did righties. Stewart is a hard worker who is still learning to control his emotions on the mound. After behind handled with caution through his first three seasons, Stewart should open 2016 atop the rotation at Double-A Chattanooga. The hope is he'll start to miss more bats as he learns more about pitch sequencing, but he profiles as a mid-rotation starter at best.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #4 prospect in 2015
  Passing up a chance to succeed Johnny Manziel as quarterback at Texas A&M, Stewart turned pro for $4,544,400 as the 2013 draft's fourth overall pick. A Type-1 diabetic, he has had no trouble maintaining his stamina in pro ball but has been plagued by late-season shoulder issues in both 2013 and 2014. In the latter season, Stewart topped out near 75 pitches per start and logged just five innings after July 17 after coming down with shoulder inflammation and losing velocity. Blessed with a strong, athletic frame and a clean delivery he repeats with ease, Stewart brandishes a 93-96 mph fastball that shows plus life. He also mixes in an occasional hard sinker but prefers to put hitters away with a mid-80s power slider that ranks among the best in the system. His other two pitches project to at least average but could still use some work. His curveball shows 12-to-6 action at its best, while his changeup remains inconsistent but has shown good sink and tumble. Perhaps because hitters could eliminate two pitches on many nights, Stewart's strikeout rate was of 6.4 per nine innings was well off the pace for top Midwest League starters. He shows competitive fire and mound swagger that can grate on opponents and umpires alike. Still just 20, Stewart should move up to high Class A Fort Myers next season, and if he can miss more bats and stay off the DL he could reach a ceiling as a No. 2 starter.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #4 prospect in 2014
  After passing for 8,803 yards and 87 touchdowns in three high school football seasons, Stewart passed up a chance to play at Texas A&M after the Twins took him fourth overall in 2013 and signed him for $4,544,400. A Type 1 diabetic, Stewart missed three weeks in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after stepping on a seashell and cutting his foot. The Twins then shut him down with two weeks to go in the Rookie-level Appalachian League season due to shoulder soreness and kept him off the mound at instructional league. Strong and athletic, with a clean delivery, Stewart has a fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and touches 96 with plus life and command. His putaway pitch is a mid-80s power slider with tilt. His curveball continues to improve and he has a feel for a changeup, giving him a chance to have four above-average pitches. He has competitive fire and some swagger, not unlike that of another Houston-area schoolboy pitching hero, Josh Beckett. Considering their investment in Stewart, the Twins will proceed cautiously. With his limited innings total he could start the year in extended spring training and return to the Appalachian League. If his shoulder issues are behind him, low Class A Cedar Rapids could be the call. His best-case scenario is as a No. 1 or 2 starter in the majors.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #5 prospect in 2013 draft
  A premium football recruit as a quarterback, Stewart passed for 8,803 yards and 87 touchdowns in three high school seasons before committing to play two sports at Texas A&M. It's unlikely he'll ever play for the Aggies because he's the top high school pitcher in the draft. He may not get the No. 1 overall pick buzz of righthanders Jonathan Gray (Oklahoma) and Mark Appel (Stanford), but one scouting director said, "Stewart's pure stuff is as good as theirs, and he's more athletic than they are." Scouts love the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder's arsenal, athleticism and competitiveness. They say that he has better present stuff than Jameson Taillon did when the Pirates took the suburban Houston righthander No. 2 overall in 2010. Stewart has boosted his fastball from 88-93 mph last summer to 91-96 for much of the spring, though his velocity tails off at times in the later innings. His life and command with his heater make it even more dominating, but his best offering is a power mid-80s slider with tilt. He has improved his curveball and shows feel for his changeup, and he'll display four above-average big league pitches at times. He has a clean delivery and should get even better once he concentrates solely on baseball. Stewart has been limited at times this spring because of minor shoulder (a carryover from football), hamstring and thumb ailments, but none is a major concern. Neither is his signability, because he'll get picked early enough to be paid handsomely and teams don't believe he'll go to Texas A&M to sit behind reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Some clubs could shy away from Stewart because he's a Type 1 diabetic, though Brandon Morrow went fifth overall in 2006 with the same condition. Stewart should go in the same range this June.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #15 prospect in 2015
  The No. 4 overall pick in 2013, Stewart has experienced pro success but hasn't blown away scouts who find out where he was drafted. His strikeout rate of 4.9 per nine innings ranked among the worst in the minor leagues, and Stewart will have to polish his command to get hitters to swing and miss a bit more. However, he generates a well above-average number of groundball outs and profiles at present as a back-of-the-rotation starter. Stewart's fastball sits at the 91-92 mph range and touches 94, and he doesn't get into many deep counts. His fastball has late, hard sink and produces lots of early-count groundballs. His slider is more of a groundball pitch at this time, and his changeup also features some sink and generates grounders. He throws a decent amount of strikes with his curveball as well. Stewart's pitch sequencing could improve, which also would help him ratchet up his strikeout rate.
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  Ranked Midwest League #6 prospect in 2014
  Scouts were more enamored of Stewart than managers. Maybe that was because his strengths were a little different than expected. The righthander showed athleticism and an ability to use four pitches. He didn't always show the dominant fastball expected from the first prep righthander selected in his draft class, and he didn't miss many bats, though he did generate ample weak contact. "I'm not seeing blow-you-away stuff," one opposing manager said. Stewart's relatively straight fastball sits 92-96 mph, and he locates it well. He has a chance to have four average or better pitches. His slider could end up being plus, but he also throws a downer curveball that shows a chance to be average and an average changeup. Stewart's health is another question. He missed much of July and August with shoulder problems. He exited his final start of the year because his velocity had dipped into the high 80s.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #52 prospect in 2014

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: A Texas A&M recruit, Stewart might have succeeded Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at quarterback. Instead, the two-sport star signed with the Twins for $4,544,400 after they drafted him fourth overall in 2013. A type 1 diabetic, Stewart battled second-half shoulder soreness his first two seasons and elbow inflammation in his third. Aside from a brief bout with biceps tendinitis, he shouldered a full workload in 2016. Scouting Report: Drafted for his power stuff, Stewart has missed fewer bats than expected. His strikeout rate rose a tick from a subpar 4.9 per nine a year ago, but it still remained a curiously low 5.7 per nine in 2016. Stewart is behind other pitchers his age due to his football background, and the Twins believe his strikeout rate will improve as he learns sequencing and improves the command of his full arsenal. Stewart can touch 96 mph with his four-seamer, but he leans more on his 91-92 two-seamer. He throws a hard slider, up to 87-88 mph, a power 12-to-6 curveball and the occasional changeup. His above-average slider is the best of the mix, but it produces more weak contact than swings and misses.
  
  The Future: Stewart's next step is Triple-A Rochester, and 2017 could be a big season for him as he tries to establish his identity as a pitcher. He has a No. 3 starter ceiling.