DJ Stewart Stats & Scouting Report

AB	158
AVG	.177
OBP	.325
SLG	.297
HR	5

Full name Demetrius Jerome Stewart
Born 11/30/1993 in Gainesville, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Florida State
Debut 09/12/2018
Drafted in the 1st round (25th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2015 (signed for $2,064,500).

View Draft Report

The Yankees drafted Stewart in the 28th round in 2012 out of Jacksonville's Bolles School, where he had won five state championships (three in football, two in baseball). He chose not to sign and went on to Florida State, where he has built a strong track record of success. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year as a sophomore and led the league in all three triple-slash categories with a line of .351/.472/.557, and in 2015 he was leading the nation with 62 walks and ranked third with a .525 OBP as the season neared its close. Stewart has a quick swing, good plate discipline and the strength to drive the ball, and he'd set a new career high with 12 home runs. He has managed to make his unorthodox stance work in college, but scouts aren't sold that it will work at the next level. He crouches very low at the plate, which can make it tougher for him to unleash his raw power. Many scouts believe that if he just stands up a little taller, he'll be able to turn on inside pitches with more consistency and tap into more of his power. Stewart is listed at 6-feet, 230 pounds, but has more athleticism than his frame suggests. He was a running back in high school and his fringe-average speed allows him to cover ground well in the outfield. His below-average arm strength likely limits him to left field, but his powerful bat fits that profile.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Stewart's potential to develop into a lefthanded-hitting power bat, plus his background as the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, made him attractive to the Orioles with their top pick in 2015 and earned him a $2.06 million bonus. He finally showed why with a 20 homer-20 steal season at Double-A Bowie in 2017 before a hamstring injury knocked him off track in 2018. He made his major league debut in September anyway.

Scouting Report: Stewart's total package may be one of a big leaguer, even if the parts don't seem it. His swing, while improved of late, can be one-plane still, sapping some of the utility of his above-average power and leaving potential holes going forward. He makes strong contact when he gets the barrel to the ball. He runs well underway and plays a capable corner outfield, though neither tool is more than average.

The Future: Stewart faces an ideal situation in Baltimore to break in and try and realize his fringe everyday potential. He could very well thrive in a platoon role or as a bench bat.
Stewart's 2017 season calmed many concerns for the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year at Florida State, who badly disappointed in his first year after being drafted 25th overall in 2015 and signing a $2,064,500 bonus. But after finishing strong in 2016 for high Class A Frederick and going to the Arizona Fall League, Stewart put together a solid all-around season at Double-A Bowie, batting .278 with an .859 OPS, 21 home runs and 20 steals. Known as an amateur for hitting from a low crouch, Stewart and the Orioles got on the same page this season. Stewart raised his eye level, which combined with starting his swing earlier and changing his swing plane created more loft and unlocked above-average power potential. He already reads the strike zone well, and could be an average hitter for contact with his new swing. While his speed is fringe-average, Stewart runs the bases well, and he'll need more experience to become an average left fielder. Stewart will have to continue to outperform his tools to be an everyday player. Stewart will likely begin 2018 at Triple-A Norfolk in an effort to continue his 2017 progress.
The Orioles made a bold move in 2016 with Stewart, their first-round pick the year before, when they promoted the 22-year-old left fielder from low Class A Delmarva to high Class A Frederick in late June. Baltimore decision-makers debated the promotion because Stewart hit just .218 at short-season Aberdeen in his 2015 debut and .230 at the time of the promotion, but the move seemed to work for Stewart, who hit .279/.389/.448 in 59 games with Frederick. The Orioles finally saw consistency out of the player who produced a brilliant three-year career at Florida State and signed for $2,064,500. Stewart adjusted his stance and stood more upright at the plate to get out of the pronounced low crouch he employed in college. More tweaking saw him eventually switch from an open to a closed stance, providing a more consistent swing path with the bat in the hitting zone longer. Along with those mechanical fixes, Stewart possesses the bat speed, strength and pitch recognition to be at least average in terms of hitting and power. Big bodied but agile for his size, Stewart has fringe-average speed and arm strength and profiles in left field as long as he hits. He may begin 2017 at Double-A Bowie.
The Yankees drafted Stewart in the 28th round in 2012 out of Jacksonville's Bolles School, where he played for baseball and football teams that won five high school state championships. He chose not to sign and went on to a brilliant threeyear career at Florida State, where he was the Atlantic Coast Conference's player of the year as a sophomore. He hit .318 with 15 homers as a junior in 2015, when the Orioles made him the 25th overall pick in the draft and signed him to a slot bonus of $2,064,500. Stewart hit third and played left field at short-season Aberdeen, but he hit just .218/.288/.345 with six homers in 62 games. Some scouts expressed concern about his pronounced low crouch, so during instructional league he adjusted his stance to reduce the severity of his crouch and become more upright. It could allow him to more easily hit premium fastballs, use his lower half and hips better and produce less wear on his legs. Stewart has advanced pitch recognition and strike-zone judgement, and the potential for a bat producing average and power is clearly there. Stewart is big-bodied and powerful but agile for his size. With his fringe-average speed and an arm grading below-average, he profiles in left. He has solid makeup. Stewart should begin 2016 at low Class A Delmarva, where he'll need to produce offense with his tweaked stance.

Draft Prospects

The Yankees drafted Stewart in the 28th round in 2012 out of Jacksonville's Bolles School, where he had won five state championships (three in football, two in baseball). He chose not to sign and went on to Florida State, where he has built a strong track record of success. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year as a sophomore and led the league in all three triple-slash categories with a line of .351/.472/.557, and in 2015 he was leading the nation with 62 walks and ranked third with a .525 OBP as the season neared its close. Stewart has a quick swing, good plate discipline and the strength to drive the ball, and he'd set a new career high with 12 home runs. He has managed to make his unorthodox stance work in college, but scouts aren't sold that it will work at the next level. He crouches very low at the plate, which can make it tougher for him to unleash his raw power. Many scouts believe that if he just stands up a little taller, he'll be able to turn on inside pitches with more consistency and tap into more of his power. Stewart is listed at 6-feet, 230 pounds, but has more athleticism than his frame suggests. He was a running back in high school and his fringe-average speed allows him to cover ground well in the outfield. His below-average arm strength likely limits him to left field, but his powerful bat fits that profile.
Another part of Florida State's intriguing recruiting class, 6-foot, 215-pound D.J. Stewart has power potential as a lefthanded hitter with a strong but long swing. A successful football running back, Stewart played mostly outfield in high school but drew more scouting interest when he caught for teammate (and fellow FSU signee) Hayden Hurst, showing he could handle velocity. He'd be an interesting conversion project if he can be pried away from Florida State.

Minor League Top Prospects

The lone EL hitter to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases this season, Stewart had a redemptive season after struggling in 2016. He's deceptively athletic for his 230-pound frame with fringe-average speed to go with his strength. Stewart has incredibly quick hands and a strong knowledge of the strike zone, which helped him tap into his power more often this season. He also has adjusted his batting stance since college, going from a deep squat with a stiff front leg to something more traditional. He's a below-average defender in left field with a below-average arm, but managers around the league saw a little improvement later in the year.
During his three seasons at Florida State, Stewart was one of the most feared hitters in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He won the ACC's player of the year as a sophomore and following it up with a 15-homer junior year this spring prior to going 25th overall to the Orioles. Behind those numbers is a unique tool package. A running back in high school, Stewart is big-bodied and powerful but surprisingly nimble for his size. With his fringe-average speed and below-average arm, he's best suited for left field, where his power should play. Now, here's the problem: most evaluators aren't sold on Stewart's unorthodox stance. Stewart crouches very low to the ground, almost sitting in the box, and scouts question his ability to catch up to inside fastballs because of it. "He cannot hit just the way he is right now," said one NYP manager. "He's grounded too much, I think. That's going to be exposed. Unless he makes changes, he's going to have a hard time hitting above Double-A." Whether Stewart can make the necessary adjustments remains to be seen, but he's a heady hitter with excellent strike-zone awareness--he led NCAA Division I with 69 walks in the spring. Despite a lackluster professional debut, Stewart still impressed opposing coaches with his strength and power potential.

Career Transactions

Syracuse Mets activated RF DJ Stewart.
New York Mets optioned RF DJ Stewart to Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets recalled RF DJ Stewart from Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets optioned RF DJ Stewart to Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets recalled LF DJ Stewart from Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets optioned LF DJ Stewart to Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets selected the contract of LF DJ Stewart from Syracuse Mets.
Syracuse Mets placed LF DJ Stewart on the 7-day injured list.
LF DJ Stewart assigned to Syracuse Mets.
Syracuse Mets activated LF DJ Stewart.
New York Mets signed free agent LF DJ Stewart to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
LF DJ Stewart roster status changed by New York Mets.