Niklas Stephenson
| IP | 152 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 6.158 |
| WHIP | 1.678 |
| BB/9 | 4.678 |
| SO/9 | 5.566 |
- Full name Niklas Conny Stephenson
- Born 11/16/1993 in San Diego, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Royals decided after the 2013 season to have five minor league pitchers experiment with a weighted ball as part of an offseason training program. They didn't see much difference for four of the pitchers, but for Stephenson it transformed him from a likely release candidate to one who now is a legitimate prospect. He gained nearly 10 mph on his fastball to regularly sit at a plus 92-95 mph and touch 97. Stephenson has cleaned up his arm action as well. He's shorter in back and more consistent in terms of repeating his delivery. He was an above-average strike-thrower at Rookie-level Burlington in 2014, with a chance to have at least average control. His breaking ball and changeup flash average, but Stephenson's curveball is a pitch he uses consistently, while his changeup is one he's just starting to feel comfortable throwing. His delivery has some effort and a little bit of recoil after he releases the ball, but the Royals will develop him as a starter so long as he throws strikes. Next up: a rotation spot at low Class A Lexington.
Minor League Top Prospects
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No prospect has had a more unexpected path to making the Top 20 than Stephenson, who drew as much attention for his ability as a catcher as on the mound before going undrafted and signing as a high school nondrafted free agent. Stephenson was used exclusively out of the bullpen his first two seasons, when he produced a 7.47 ERA while walking nearly as many hitters (15) as he struck out (18) with a fastball that sat 83-86 mph. The Royals approached Stephenson about working with weighted balls last offseason, when he became a completely different pitcher after taking to the workouts. His formerly bottom-of-the-scale heater increased to sitting 92-95 mph in the rotation, touching 97. His arm action is not as long in the back and he gets over his front side better than when he was a non-prospect. Stephenson's top secondary offering is a curveball that showed average potential, as does his changeup, which he doesn't use often. He is a competitive strike-thrower who produced the second-lowest walk rate (1.4 per nine) of all starters in the league. There is some effort to his delivery, which could fit best out of the bullpen in the long-term, but his strike-throwing ability gives him a chance to remain in the rotation.
