MLB Analyst Reveals Which Blue Jays Prospect's Stock is Rising Rapidly
In this story:
The Toronto Blue Jays are having an excellent season at all levels of the organization.
The Major League club has put the possibility in play that it will have its best overall season since the mid-2010s, as the Blue Jays tracked down the New York Yankees and took a two-game lead in the American League East division into the all-star break.
The season started with ensuring that franchise player and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will not only not hit the open free agency market this winter, but will most likely be a Toronto lifer.
More News: Blue Jays Reliever Ryan Burr Will Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
As the team continues a trajectory toward one of a legitimate World Series contender, the team's front office will look to make deals to improve the team at the July 31 MLB trade deadline.
Every Jays fan remembers the impact that the acquisition of star pitcher David Price had on the team in 2015, and the team is expected to aggressively pursue big upgrades.
To do that, general manager Ross Atkins may have to be willing to part with some of his top prospects.
More News: Insider Says Blue Jays Will Focus on Pitching Upgrades at Trade Deadline
According to MLB Pipeline, Toronto's top five currently consists of shortstop Arjun Nimmala, pitcher Trey Yesavage, infielder Orelvis Martinez and pitchers Ricky Tiedemann and Jake Bloss.
Nimmala and Yesavage at least would most likely be off limits in discussions for rentals, but Toronto has several other talented prospects who could be of interest to the deadline's array of sellers.
One of those is the club's No. 9 prospect, right-handed pitcher Khal Stephen.
According to MLB Network analyst Jon Morosi, Stephen's stock is on the rise within the organization. Morosi notes that Stephen's newest offering, a splitter has allowed him to put up a sterling 1.75 ERA in his 87.2 innings of work across multiple minor league levels.
More News: Former Blue Jays Pitcher Spencer Turnbull Signs With NL Contender
Stephen was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB draft out of Mississippi State University, and he's shined with Single-A Dunedin and High-A Vancouver, making nine starts at Vancouver with a 1.49 ERA.
With that sort of effectiveness, the team might be wise to see what he has at the Double-A level. At 22 years of age, Stephen looks like he could either be on the fast track to helping out in Toronto sooner than later, or he could be a great centerpiece for a blockbuster trade at the deadline.
For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.
Kyle Morton has covered various sports from amateur to professional level athletics. A graduate of Fordham University, Kyle specializes in MLB and NHL coverage while having previous bylines with SB Nation, The Hockey Writers, HighSchoolOT, and Sports World News. He spent time working the beat for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and is an avid fan of the NHL, MLB, NFL and college basketball. Enjoys the outdoors and hiking in his free time away from sports.