South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 27: Jonathan Stiever

Jonathan Stiever
6´2´´
205 pounds
Throws: Right
Age: 22
SSS rank among all right-handed starting pitchers in the system: 7

After a great freshman season for the Indiana Hoosiers as a reliever, Stiever was converted to a starter for his sophomore and junior seasons. In his three years overall, he attained a 3.56 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 217 ²⁄₃ innings with a .264 OBA, 1.90 BB/9 and 7.61 K/9. His junior season was the best overall, as he worked 100 innings with a .250 OBA, 2.87 BB% and 8.70 K%. As a result of his success, Stiever was drafted in the fifth round in 2018 by the White Sox and received a $386,800 at-slot bonus.

Because Stiever had already pitched career-high innings with the Hoosiers, his work was severely limited at Great Falls. In 13 starts totaling 28 frames, Steiver maintained a 4.18 ERA and 1.14 WHIP despite working in a difficult pitching environment. In those 28 innings, Stiever ceded only 23 hits (.223 OBA) and walked just nine (2.89 BB/9) while striking out 39 (12.54 K/9).

His fastball typically runs from the low 90s to 96 mph, but has good running and sinking action. Stiever has an upper-70s spike curveball which also features slider action, and an above-average changeup, which helped limit lefties to an OBA of .250.

Stiever was promoted to Kannapolis to begin 2019, and at an age-appropriate level is grinding through in the early going: 4.59 ERA and 1.347 WHIP in his nine starts, averaging about 5 ¹⁄₃ innings per outing.

Take a look!

Thanks to 2080 Baseball for the footage.

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