9th ranked Blue Jays prospect is headed to Double-A New Hampshire

Khal Stephen carved up the Northwest League in June, posting a 0.95 ERA and a 3-1 record over five starts, which was good enough to earn the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month award. His reward? A well-deserved promotion to Double-A New Hampshire, just days later.

Over those five incredible starts, the Illinois native held opponents to a .180 average while fanning 33. Stephen has been turning heads all season long, and he could very easily be called up another level before the end of the 2025 campaign.

9th ranked Blue Jays prospect is headed to Double-A New Hampshire

This season at High-A Vancouver, he pitched to a 1.49 ERA through nine starts, while pitching to a 2.06 ERA in Single-A Dunedin, with only one home run allowed and seven walks surrendered across 39 and a third innings while he was twirling in the Sunshine State.

The second-rounder in 2024's draft is off to reunite with Trey Yesavage, where they will form the two-headed monster once again. As it stands, the current rotation down in New Hampshire encapsulates how much potential there is in Toronto's pitching pipeline. Stephen joins a stacked pitching staff, which includes names like Grant Rogers, Juaron Watts-Brown, Kendry Rojas, and, of course, Trey Yesavage.

The 9th-ranked prospect in the Blue Jays' system is backed by numbers that speak for themselves. Within the organization, he is 1st in ERA, T-1st in wins, 7th in strikeouts, 5th in innings pitched, 2nd in batting average against, and 1st in WHIP.

At 6' 4", 215 lbs, he can use his frame to overpower hitters with an electric fastball that touches 96 mph with plenty of carry to complement. His main secondary is a slider that averages around 83-84 mph, which he pairs with a mid-80s changeup and a cutter.

The 22-year-old has already climbed from Single-A Dunedin to Double-A this year, and he'll set his sights on taking another step to Triple-A Buffalo by the end of the season. What's most fascinating about Stephen's quick rise is that he did not show any drop-off from his time at Dunedin. He'll look to prove that he can dominate in Double-A as well.

As the Blue Jays welcomed some new prospects into their system via the 2025 MLB Draft, Stephen’s quick rise is a timely reminder of how a young player can turn into a core piece of depth for the future. Drafted in the second round just a year ago, he’s already forming into a blueprint for what the organization hopes to achieve with its newest selections.

Between Dunedin and Vancouver this year, Khal Stephen has sported a 9-1 record while twirling to a 1.75 ERA. He also has a .878 WHIP while only allowing three home runs.