Yankees Former No. 5 Pitching Prospect Turns into a Free Agent as Offseason Begins

The New York Yankees drafted Arkansas Razorbacks right-hander Trevor Stephan within the third spherical in 2017, and two years later the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Texan rose as excessive because the Yankees’ No. 7 prospect within the group, in keeping with MLB Pipeline.

However one yr after that, the Yankees selected to not add Stephan to their 40-man roster, leaving him uncovered to the Rule 5 Draft the place the Cleveland Guardians took him.

On Friday, three years after he final threw a pitch within the huge leagues, Stephan is now out of the Cleveland group as effectively, changing into a free agent, in keeping with an announcement on the day by day MiLB transactions ledger.

Stephan’s tenure on the Guardians’ books ended Friday, when the membership declined his $7.25 million membership possibility for 2027 and despatched the right-hander into free company. Cleveland can pay a $1.25 million buyout as an alternative, in keeping with MLB.com.

Stephan closed out 2026 with a ten.44 ERA over 25 innings at Triple-A Columbus. He has not pitched within the majors since 2023.

That’s a steep fall for a reliever who went 16-13 with a 3.73 ERA throughout 180 appearances from 2021 by 2023.

Stephan, who turns 31 on Nov. 25, went 92nd total to the Yankees in 2017 out of Arkansas. The Magnolia, Texas, native signed for a $797,500 bonus and stands 6-foot-5.

He’s an influence arm, with a four-seam fastball, a slider and a split-finger. Stephan struck out 27.5 % of hitters within the majors.

So how did a pitcher the Yankees left unprotected develop into a fixture in Cleveland’s late innings?

Stephan’s Rule 5 Path From the New York Yankees

On Dec. 10, 2020, three Yankees prospects have been chosen within the Rule 5 Draft. Garrett Whitlock went to the Boston Purple Sox, Kyle Holder to the Philadelphia Phillies and Stephan to Cleveland, because the franchise was nonetheless recognized.

Scouts favored the body, however the velocity had not matched it, in keeping with RotoWire. The pandemic additionally erased the 2020 minor league season, and the Yankees by no means invited Stephan to their alternate web site.

“After that occurred, I hoped I obtained Rule 5’d, actually,” he instructed Sports activities Illustrated in 2022.

Stephan struck out 16 of 44 hitters that spring, and the membership, making its first Main League part decide since 2016, stored him on the Opening Day roster.

By 2022, he was nearer Emmanuel Clase’s major setup man, with a 2.69 ERA in 66 appearances. In March 2023, Cleveland signed him to a four-year extension value $10 million, with membership choices for 2027 and 2028.

Trevor Stephan’s Tommy John Surgical procedure and 2027 Outlook

Why no main league outings since 2023? The elbow. Checks in 2024 spring coaching confirmed his ligament was “not offering satisfactory stability,” in keeping with MLB Commerce Rumors. Tommy John surgical procedure adopted in March, with as much as 16 months of restoration projected.

He missed all of 2024. After rehab stints in Arizona, Akron and Columbus, Stephan allowed 11 runs and three homers in seven innings, and the Guardians outrighted him off the 40-man roster on Aug. 15, 2025. He stood a couple of month shy of service time that might have let him refuse the task and maintain his wage.

Stephan’s velocity has misplaced greater than 4 mph since 2023, from a 94.9 mph common to 90.7 mph in 4 spring outings this yr, with a 91.8 mph cease at Triple-A in between. Vogt acknowledged the speed nonetheless sat under its pre-injury degree. The slider and split-finger he praised didn’t slip, and the Guardians nonetheless reassigned Stephan to minor league camp in March.

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