Trevor Stephan hasn't pitched for the Cleveland Guardians in over two years, but the organization still believes he could help them at some point.
Before Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis established themselves as premier high-leverage pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, Trevor Stephan was making the organization look like a genius for selecting him in the Rule 5 Draft.
The right-hander was one of baseball’s top relievers in 2022 and part of 2023. That was until Stephan entered Spring Training in 2024 with elbow discomfort, which revealed he needed Tommy John surgery.
It’s been a long, difficult road for Stephan, as he has had trouble regaining the same elite stuff that made him such a special pitcher, but the Guardians haven’t given up hope that he can still help them in some capacity in the future.
“Every case is different. Trevor had his surgery, and he's still working his way back, but we continue to believe that Trevor can help us, and we're here to support him along the way,” said Stephen Vogt.
Jul 16, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Trevor Stephan (37) delivers a pitch to the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn ImagesCleveland’s skipper did say that Stephan came into camp “feeling good” and is scheduled to pitch in one of the Guardians’ Cactus League games in the coming days.
“The stuff looks good,” Vogt continued. “We're excited for Trevor to get back on the mound in a spring training game. Again, it’s been a long road for him, but the stuff's coming out, it's sharp. The slider and split have some good action to them."
Vogt did admit that, right now, Stephan’s velocity is still a little bit down from where it was before the injury and where Stephan wants it to be.
Stephan’s lack of velocity was what gave him his most struggles during his stint at Triple-A at the end of the 2025 season, when he logged an 11.65 ERA and 2.18 WHIP over 19 appearances.
It’s a big unknown, but Stephan would be a massive boost for the Guardians if he can find a way to get his velocity back and recapture even half of the pitcher he was before the injury.
Not only do the Guardians know his pitch mix plays, but Stephan also has experience pitching in playoffs and other high-leverage moments, which could help the team during the second half of the season.
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