via Sean Williams/FutureSox

Jonathan Stiever set to make MLB debut vs. Tigers on Sunday

By / / News

On Saturday night, the White Sox made a surprising move. After a 14-0 rout of the Detroit Tigers, it was announced that Jonathan Stiever would get the starting nod on Sunday in what will be his MLB debut. Stiever was a fifth round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft and will be making the jump from High-A to the major leagues.

Stiever checks in at eight on our midseason top 30 list. Over the last year, he has flown up the prospect rankings and turned himself into one of the top arms in the organization. This is in large part due to a breakout season in 2019. At Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, Stiever posted a combined 3.48 ERA in 145.0 IP with 154 strikeouts and 27 walks. His performance in High-A made it seem like he would rise quickly through the system. However, with the odd season that 2020 is, he’s rising a little more quickly than he was expected to.

The right-hander is known for having good command and throwing a lot of strikes. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, but can touch the upper 90s as well. His curveball is his best secondary offering, and he’s shows the ability to locate it well. Rounding out Stiever’s arsenal are a slider and a changeup, and he began gaining more confidence in his changeup last year.

After his breakout year, Stiever was a non-roster invite to spring training for the first time in 2020. Unfortunately, Stiever did not see any action, even before things were shut down. He dealt with a forearm strain that kept him on the shelf when Cactus League play began.

Before receiving the call, Stiever has been throwing at the Schaumburg alternate site this year. Our Steve Hasman got an opportunity to see Stiever throw at the alternate site and was impressed with the righty.

He wrote: “while not being privy to a radar gun, Stiever made the ball pop loudly in Seby Zavala’s mitt several times. The breaking stuff was evident and looked sharp at times, but Stiever was also hit hard.”

The move comes at an interesting time, as Stiever will now be eligible to be on the postseason roster. The deadline for postseason eligible players to be on a club’s 40-man roster is September 15. So this move gives the White Sox a chance to see what they have in Stiever before the postseason. He has a tall task at hand, making the jump from High-A to MLB. However, this gives the White Sox an opportunity to see if Stiever can carve out a role as the team gets ready for the postseason.

The move requires Stiever to be added to the 40-man roster. According to James Fegan of The Athletic, Carlos Rodon moving to the 45-day IL seems to be the corresponding move to add Stiever.

Stiever joins Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer as members of the 2018 draft class to reach the majors. He will also be the 11th White Sox player to make their MLB debut this season. With Stiever set to face a struggling team like the Tigers, hopefully he can string together a few solid innings and boost his confidence for the next time he steps on a major league mound.

Feature photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox

Want to know right away when we publish a new article? Type your email address in the box on the right-side bar (or at the bottom on a mobile device) and click “create subscription.” Our list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time. Also, consider supporting FutureSox on Patreon! You can get early access to special articles and Patreon-only posts, in addition to more benefits.

Shop our exclusive merchandise! Show your support with FutureSox apparel.

1 thought on “Jonathan Stiever set to make MLB debut vs. Tigers on Sunday”

  1. Pingback: Jonathan Stiever overcomes nervy first inning for solid MLB debut - Futuresox

Comments are closed.