Credit: MiLB.com
#53 Kohl Stewart
Stewart was selected in the first round out of high school by the Twins in 2013. Reports on Stewart have been on both ends of the spectrum, with his attitude and focus remaining key fixtures in the discussion. After suffering a shoulder soreness scare a season ago, it appears that a clean bill of health awaits the Twins pitching prospect in 2015.
Many regard Stewart as a potential ace. Law spells it out saying, “He’ll show four pitches, any or all of which could end up as plus, with a fastball already up to 97 mph and a slider that is probably closest to being a true swing-and-miss offering…Stewart has the potential to front a rotation given a few more years of development; he might have to learn to pitch at 92-94 first so he can develop some command, and he needs to work in particular on his changeup before Double-A hitters force him to do so.”
Having been recruited as a football player as well, Stewart is still settling into the full-time baseball life. He will continue to develop and will really start to take strides forward as the command and understanding of the major league pitching games mesh together. Sometime in 2017 appears to be the most likely debut spot for the Texas-born pitcher.