Will Stewart

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #30 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Phillies' 20th-round pick in 2015, Stewart broke out in 2018 and impressed enough that the Marlins requested him as part of the J.T. Realmuto trade. Stewart's control took a step back in 2019, when he walked 2.9 batters per nine innings and found the middle of the plate more often.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stewart's fastball velocity dropped significantly in 2019, when the pitch spent most of the season sitting in the upper 80s. The velocity drop impacted the pitch's effectiveness in and out of the zone. Previously a strength, Stewart lost the ability to locate and generate soft contact or ground balls. Stewart shows the makings of an average slider with good angle and spin. While Stewart's slider lost its impact vs righthanded hitters, it remained effective against lefties as a swing-and-miss pitch in and out of the zone with good angle and depth. Previously a solid weapon vs righthanders, Stewart's changeup commanded less respect because hitters were able to adjust to the lack of separation from his fastball.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Stewart can regain his velocity in 2020, his ceiling would rise in kind. He seems likely to return to Jupiter to start 2020 for a potential reboot.
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #21 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Phillies have popped a variety of intriguing players in the later rounds of their recent drafts, including Stewart, a 20th-round pick in 2015 who signed for $100,000. Stewart made his full-season debut in 2018 and was extremely efficient with his pitches, walking just 1.7 batters per nine innings and ranking second in the league with a 2.06 ERA. Stewart was included in a trade to the Marlins along with Sixto Sanchez and Jorge Alfaro in early February in exchange for J.T. Realmuto.
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart has success by throwing strikes, getting groundballs and disrupting hitters' timing with his changeup and location. Stewart operates off an 89-93 mph fastball. He touched 95 mph, becoming another example of a Phillies prospect who was able to better use his legs and synchronize his body to squeeze out a little extra velocity. Strong and athletic, Stewart repeats his delivery with plus control, spotting his fastball well to both sides of the plate and getting a lot of grounders. Stewart's slider is below-average, but he's able to keep lefties and righties off balance with an above-average changeup.
  
  The Future: Stewart needs to improve his breaking ball, but if he does he could fit as a back-end starter. He's scheduled to start 2019 in high Class A Jupiter.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #14 prospect in 2018
  Stewart battled Greenville's Denyi Reyes and Lakewood's David Parkinson for the title of the league's most-effective pitcher. Stewart finished second in the league behind only Reyes with a 2.06 ERA. He was also second-best in the league to Reyes in WHIP (0.98) and opponent average (.218). But while Reyes and Parkinson are righthanders with fringy fastballs, Stewart is a lefty with an 89-93 mph fastball and a plus changeup. Stewart is well-built, strong and athletic and he fills the strike zone with plus control. Stewart is able to work his fastball both arm-side and glove-side, and he's comfortable throwing his changeup to lefties as well as righthanded hitters. His low-80s slider has made strides. Right now one out of every five or so will be an average pitch. If he can up that ratio, he has the makings of a No. 4 starter.

• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Phillies' 20th-round pick in 2015, Stewart broke out in 2018 and impressed enough that the Marlins requested him as part of the J.T. Realmuto trade. Stewart's control took a step back in 2019, when he walked 2.9 batters per nine innings and found the middle of the plate more often.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stewart's fastball velocity dropped significantly in 2019, when the pitch spent most of the season sitting in the upper 80s. The velocity drop impacted the pitch's effectiveness in and out of the zone. Previously a strength, Stewart lost the ability to locate and generate soft contact or ground balls. Stewart shows the makings of an average slider with good angle and spin. While Stewart's slider lost its impact vs righthanded hitters, it remained effective against lefties as a swing-and-miss pitch in and out of the zone with good angle and depth. Previously a solid weapon vs righthanders, Stewart's changeup commanded less respect because hitters were able to adjust to the lack of separation from his fastball.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Stewart can regain his velocity in 2020, his ceiling would rise in kind. He seems likely to return to Jupiter to start 2020 for a potential reboot.