Robert Stephenson

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2012
R+:  1-0-0, 2.05 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 30.2 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 10.9 K/9
A:  2-4-0, 4.19 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 34.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Stephenson didn’t play in 2011 after signing, then made 15 starts between advanced rookie ball and low A.  He dominated at the lower level and held his own in full season ball.  Baseball America rated him the Reds’ second best prospect.

2013
A:  5-3-0, 2.57 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 77.0 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 11.2 K/9
A+:  2-2-0, 3.05 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 20.2 IP, 0.9 BB/9, 9.6 K/9
AA:  0-2-0, 4.86 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 16.2 IP, 7.0 BB/9, 9.7 K/9

The Reds promoted Stephenson through three levels.  He had little trouble at the two class A levels, but hitters didn’t chase as much when he got to AA.  BA rated him the Reds’ top prospect.

2014
AA:  7-10-0, 4.74 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 136.2 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Stephenson spent the entire season in AA and didn’t have an easy time, as he struggled with walks and homers.  In fact, he led the league in both, while also leading it in strikeouts.  BA again rated him the best of the Reds’ prospects.

2015
AA:  4-7-0, 3.68 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 78.1 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 10.2 K/9
AAA:  4-4-0, 4.04 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 55.2 IP, 4.4 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

Stephenson split the season between AA and AAA.  He cut way back on the gopher balls, but control continued to be an issue.  BA continued to rank him at the top of the Reds’ system.  The team added him to the roster after the season.

2016
AAA:  8-9-0, 4.41 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 136.2 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 7.9 K/9
MLB:  2-3-0, 6.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 37.0 IP, 4.6 BB/9, 7.5 K/9

Stephenson started twice for the Reds in April, but otherwise spent the season in AAA until September.  In the second of those April starts, he gave up just one run over seven innings.  In AAA, he had just a decent season, with continued control problems and a reduced K rate.  He got shelled in half a dozen September starts.  BA dropped him to fourth in the Reds’ prospect rankings.

2017
AAA:  1-2-0, 3.79 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 40.1 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 10.0 K/9
MLB:  5-6-1, 4.68 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 84.2 IP, 5.6 BB/9, 9.1 K/9

Stephenson’s season came in thirds:  He spent the first and last third in the majors, and the middle one in AAA.  In AAA, he pitched very well, including much better control, except for a gopher ball problem, as he allowed one every five innings.  In the majors, Cincinnati employed him in relief during his first stay and mostly as a starter during his second.  He was far more effective as a starter.

2018
AAA:  11-6-0, 2.87 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 113.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 10.8 K/9
MLB:  0-2-0, 9.26 ERA, 2.49 WHIP, 11.2 IP, 9.3 BB/9, 8.5 K/9

The Reds used Stephenson’s last option to keep him in AAA most of the season.  He came to the majors for just four appearances in August, then missed September with right shoulder tendonitis.  He continued to have control problems in AAA but was very hard to hit.

2019
AAA:  0-1-0, 4.50 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 13.5 K/9
MLB:  3-2-0, 3.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 64.2 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 11.3 K/9

The Reds moved Stephenson full-time to the bullpen and he was much more effective, with very good walk and K rates.  He had some trouble with gopher balls, allowing nine.

2020
MLB:  0-0-0, 9.90 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 11.7 K/9

In the pandemic season, Stephenson missed most of August with back strain and made ten relief appearances.  His numbers weren’t bad except for one major problem:  In ten innings, he allowed eight home runs.  He allowed only three hits that didn’t leave the park.  After the season, the Reds traded Stephenson to Colorado.

2021
AAA:  0-0-0, 18.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9
MLB:  2-1-1, 3.13 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 46.0 IP, 3.5 BB/9, 10.2 K/9

Stephenson again spent the season in the bullpen, except he missed July with back tightness.  He had a good season, including better-than-usual control.  He managed well enough in Coors Field, posting an ERA of 4.13 there, compared to 2.05 on the road.

2022
AAA (Colo):  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 0.0 K/9
MLB (Colo):  2-1-0, 6.04 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 44.2 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 7.5 K/9
MLB:  0-1-0, 3.38 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 0.7 BB/9, 12.2 K/9

Stephenson struggled with the Rockies, getting hit harder and missing fewer bats than in the past.  Opponents put up a 291/335/528 line against him, with both left- and right-handed batters hitting him well.  Gopher balls were a problem, as he allowed one every five and a half innings.  The Rockies designated him for assignment in late August and the Pirates claimed him.  He fared a lot better in 13 games with the Pirates, as the walks dropped sharply and the K rate increased.

It’s pretty hard to be optimistic about Stephenson’s chances of succeeding with the Pirates.  GM Ben Cherington has employed waiver claims, or the equivalent, as the near-exclusive means of staffing the bullpen, with almost no success.  Stephenson did pitch much better than any of the other waiver-wire relievers, in a very small sample size, so it’s probably worth giving him a longer look.  Stephenson is arbitration-eligible.  He went into spring training with a good chance of making the roster, especially given his lack of options, but he had elbow soreness and began the season on the injured list.