With the eighth overall pick, the Atlanta Braves have selected Carter Stewart, a right-handed pitcher from Eau Gallie high school in Melbourne, Florida.
Carter Stewart is a walking curveball. While he doesn’t throw his fastball incredibly hard, Stewart has absolutely incredible movement on his curveball, generating over 3,000 rotations per minute, higher than any major league pitcher. Stewart has Rembrandt-like control on both his fastball and curveball, adding to the wipeout effect Stewart has destroyed hitters with throughout his baseball career.
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Stewart had a 0.91 ERA during his last season in high school, striking out over two batters per inning. Stewart has a third pitch, a change-up, but it is significantly less developed than his other two pitches.
"His breaking ball right now, at his level against people his age, is almost un-hittable."
@RonDarlingJr takes a closer look at 2018 #MLBDraft pitching prospect Carter Stewart. pic.twitter.com/swuzKm3eus
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 2, 2018
MLB.com listed Stewart as their fifth overall prospect headed into the draft, and he is great value for Atlanta with the eighth pick.
Stewart may project as a closer at the next level, but that may be due more to the state of the Braves’ farm than due to Stewart himself. The Braves have so many farm arms that Stewart has a possibility, once Ronald Acuna Jr. graduates from prospect status, at being Atlanta’s seventh-ranked prospect. The only problem with that is that all six above him would be other pitchers.
