With their second round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Blue Jays selected RHP Khal Stephen 59th overall from Mississippi State. He posted a 3.28 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 96 innings after transferring from Purdue prior to his junior year after a breakout summer in the Cape Cod League that followed unremarkable results with the Boilermakers.
Like first round pick Trey Yesavage, he looks the part of a durable pitcher with a 6’4” frame and a starter’s arsenal of four pitches. His fastball sits in the low-90s, but unlike Yesavage plays up with riding life that was readily apparent in the little bit of video I’ve looked at. None of his secondaries are noted as standout weapons, with his change-up and slider standing out as most promising. He draws plaudits for strikethrowing, and thus draws the dreaded “high floor” tag (real talk: the median outcome for pretty much any second round pick is not making/contributing in the majors).
So thus far, the Jays seem to have a type, both in terms of demographics but also characteristics. Whether that’s co-incidence and how the board shook out (more in terms of Yesavage than this pick) or more indicative or how they’ll continue on Day 2 remains to be seen, but the emphasis is noteworthy given the lack of internally drafted and developed pitching the Jays have got tp the big leagues under this regime.
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