Jordan Stephens Interview
For this blog post, we have an interview with a special guest, Jordan Stephens of the Birmingham Barons, AA affiliate for the White Sox. Stephens is one of the top 20 prospects in the White Sox system. He sported a 3.14 ERA in this past season and looks to possibly join the White Sox by the end of next season. Let’s get to it.
Give me a description of how coming up through the farm system is from the inside. What was it like hearing your name called when you were drafted?
Getting drafted in 2015 was the biggest moment in my life up to that point. It's surreal working towards something your entire life and having it finally happen, (which is) an experience not many people can relate to. I wanted to keep my "draft party" to a minimum and only had my close friends and family there because you never actually know how those will end up. I’ve heard many stories of bad experiences and broken promises. Thankfully, the White Sox weren’t like that, and I am grateful.
Do you see it as a better opportunity to move up the ranks with a rebuilding MLB team or more challenging given the young talent across each level?
I have been lucky enough for the Sox to recognize my potential and allow me to skip some of the lower levels. After starting in Arizona, so they could control my pitches, I only threw a few innings in Great Falls. They sent me to Winston-Salem for my first full season, allowing me to skip Kannapolis and then started me in Birmingham the following season. I have been blessed to be given these opportunities, and I feel I have made the best of them.
Whether a team is rebuilding, or competing for the World Series annually, it doesn’t change a whole lot for players. While it changes how the top of the organization thinks and makes moves, our job is always the same. We have a ton of young talent in our organization and despite my age, 25, I feel I am right in the mix with where I want to be. There are plenty of opportunities that will continue to be there the next few years.
This past season in review: How would you grade yourself? Toot your horn for a bit, what did you do well? 3.14 ERA with a .249 opponent AVG in AA is great.
I felt very good about my past season and am happy finishing with my 3.14 ERA. However, it was unfortunate to have my last outing blow up my ERA some because I had it at a sub-3 all year. I felt I did a good job of attacking hitters all year and made changes that helped me stay on target better. I also tinkered with a true cutter, although many thought my slider from 2016 was one, and had great results with it overall. Towards the end of the season, i brought back my slider into the mix so i had plenty of pitches in my arsenal.
I saw you underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2014. How quickly were you back on the field? I know in some cases pitchers see an uptick in MPH. Was that the case with you? How long did it take to get back into a normal rhythm?
I had Tommy John my junior year at Rice and thanks to a great rehab guy in Houston, I made a great recovery. From the day I got hurt to the day I came back, it was almost a year. I tore it in a game I started at Minute Maid Park versus UT. Knowing that we would play them again at the beginning of the following season, and because I grew up an Aggie due to my dad, I really wanted to push myself to pitch against them. I believe I was 93-95mph out of the pen my first outing back. That was a little harder than I was previously and was the hardest of my career up until pro-ball in 2016 where I got up to 97mph.
What is your go to pitch?
My pitch repertoire includes a four-seam, two-seam, cutter, slider, curve, and changeup. I imagine that I will end up dropping the cutter next spring, but I will leave that up to the coaching staff. My slider is probably my best strikeout pitch, but it also gets hit every now and then. My curve is another good option and gets hit hard less often. I like having more options, pitch-wise, because it allows me to get the hitter to do what I want them to do more often, whether that's a groundball, strikeout, early contact, or double play.
The great thing about professional baseball is that everyone here is very talented. While some of us have better results than others, we all have a good understanding of the game. Our differences only make us stronger because it allows us to feed off each other and get advice that may not be something you would have thought of. It’s especially important at the upper levels as you get a mix of older guys with younger.
Who do you look up to as a baseball mentor?
I am fortunate enough to come from the same hometown as Nolan Ryan and Nathan Eovaldi. So Alvin is a baseball town. Eovaldi was a senior my freshman year in high school so we got to play with each other, and he has been a huge help in developing my game. He is the hardest working person I’ve met and always is there to help me understand the game better and develop as a pitcher. I talk to him frequently throughout the season and we try to train with one another as much as possible in the offseason.
Who was your childhood hero growing up? (Mine was obviously Frank Thomas, given that I’m a diehard White Sox fan)
I grew up looking up to pitchers like Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Andy Pettitte. I loved their mental side of the game, which is something I strive to focus on. They all had a very aggressive mentality on the mound and had successful careers so there is plenty to love about them. I have briefly met Nolan and have gotten to talk to Pettitte a little bit. He let me come out to his ranch to hunt for a few days (I played at Rice with his son Josh) and is one of the kindest person I’ve come across. He is also a big Christian, so it was great to see how some with such a wealthy career can remain so humble.
I saw you are from Houston. Were you an Astros fan growing up? If so, who was your favorite player?
Coming from Houston, I did follow the Astros a little bit because my family was big fans. My favorite player for them was Jeff Bagwell, although I don't have a big reason why. He was just a great all around player.
If you could meet one baseball player in history, who would it be (outside of the above names)?
If I could meet any player, I would like to sit down with Nolan Ryan and actually get to hang out with him. While I have technically met him, we’ve never been able to talk much. With such a successful career, there are so many things I could learn from him in all aspects of the game.
Where do you want to be by the end of next season? What are your long term goals, aside from the Big Leagues?
My goal for next year is to continue developing so that when my opportunity comes, I'll be ready. I want to keep understanding how hitters think and learn more so that can help my game. I’m excited for the future and hope that I can help out the team in Chicago soon!
Thanks to Jordan for letting me interview him. We look forward to seeing him on the south side soon enough.