Just over three years ago, the Cincinnati Reds selected high school pitcher Robert Stephenson with the 27th pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. Touting a fastball that could reach the upper 90s, Stephenson quickly became the Reds’ best pitching prospect since Homer Bailey.
The right-hander breezed his way through the lower levels of the minor leagues, reaching Low-A Dayton by the end of the 2012 summer. He started 2013 in Dayton and simply overmatched hitters, striking out 96 in 77 innings with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 0.