Exclusive: Question and Answer With Cleveland Guardians Prospect Khal Stephen

The Cleveland Guardians are often lauded for having some of baseball's best pitching prospects.

And as the 2026 minor league campaign continues to tick on, that reputation has been on full display across every level of the organization's system.

One that has stood out more than the rest is 23-year-old Khal Stephen. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is ranked as the Guardians' fifth-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Acquired in a trade last season that involved former ace Shane Bieber, Stephen has lofty shoes to fill as a future staple in the major league rotation.

To begin the 2026 campaign with the Double-A Akron Rubberducks, he has a 3.82 ERA with a 2-2 record while on the mound. Across seven starts, he has struck out a strong 37 batters, good enough for a 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings mark.

On Thursday, May 14, I was able to sit down with Stephen at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron to conduct an exclusive interview for the BIGPLAY Sports Network/SI.

Here's what he had to say:

Cracas: "Take me back to the start of the offseason. What were things looking like for you, and what were you thinking that you had to improve upon from last year?"

Stephen: "I mean, I think the biggest thing for me is, as far as, like, arsenal-wise and pitching, is just finding consistency in all my stuff and being able to know and replicate the same spin, the same shape in my spin pitches. So that was the biggest thing for me, and just getting back in the spring training, being able to work with the team and see some numbers, see the iPad and that kind of thing was definitely really good for my development."

Cracas: "Specifically, on the spring training end, what was that experience like for you out there [in Arizona], being around more of the major leaguers and higher-ups in the organization?"

Stephen: "Yeah, it's definitely super cool. Like, the biggest thing is, like... I feel like with the Guardians, they do a really good job of implementing different players with different players. So it's like you kind of mingle with some of the big leaguers, some of the Triple-A guys. We're very intertwined together through spring training. So that's really nice, just getting to be comfortable around those guys and getting to talk to them a little bit."

Cracas: "Any of the big leaguers stand out to you? Maybe guys that you either gravitated towards or had good experiences with?"

Stephen: "I would say, if anything, Cade Smith, my first day, he reached his hand out, shook my hand, like, introduced himself. And so, just like them not... being bigger than they are or something like that. It just builds a little bit of a relationship and eases yourself into the organization and just into spring training in general."

Cracas: "You leave spring training and then begin preparing for the minor league season to begin. During that period of time in between, what was going through your mind? What was your mindset like heading into the year?"

Stephen: "The goal is to continue developing, but, you know, go out and win and prove yourself to continue to move up the system. So there's a lot of edge to a lot of the players on this team. Like, you can kind of feel how close it is as you continue to progress. So definitely just... doing what you can to win, but also to prove that you have what it takes to continue to climb."

Cracas: "What have you seen out of yourself and what are you hoping to see moving forward?"

Stephen: "I think, honestly, what I've seen out of myself is that strikeouts are a little higher, which is nice, and it's good to see that when my shapes are on and when I'm being consistent, I'm seeing good results. I think the biggest thing for me is just continuing to lean into the development, lean into the good things that are happening. Just to continue to progress."

Cracas: "What is the clubhouse like in Akron? I have talked to a lot of the guys at the major league level recently, and a lot of them like Parker [Messick] preach the importance of having a close clubhouse."

Stephen: "Absolutely. A lot of these guys, you know, they've been together or, we've all played together. So we've got, like, the on-field side of it covered, like, through the years of developing and just kind of growing together. Then in the clubhouse, the vibe's always good. We keep it pretty light and easy in there, and we're always messing around. So it's pretty comfortable here."

Cracas: "Parker Messick's a guy at the big league level who talks a lot about the ups and downs of being a pitcher?... How do you keep that mental space clear and ready to go for the next game?"

Stephen: "I think, like, one of the biggest talents it takes to be a pitcher is being able to remember what's important and let go of things that aren't. So that's, like, that's always a challenge, but I think the biggest thing is just, like, not feeling like you have to reset. We're all here for a reason, and maybe it goes bad, maybe it goes good. Just because it went good doesn't mean you're a big leaguer, and just because it went bad doesn't mean you're getting sent out of baseball. Like, you've got to stay even with it."

Cracas: "Is there anyone across your career or personal life who has helped you get to where you are now?"

Stephen: "My parents are kind of the obvious answer for that. Like, they've always been there to support me. They're tremendous role models. But also just, like, the way they live their life. They're very consistent in what they do, and they're both extremely hard workers. So just for me to, like, grow up around that. Same thing with my brothers. We kind of all grew up together. Just to live that life and see how hard they work, it's easy to try to resemble that."

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