Carter Stewart
| Carter Stewart | |
|---|---|
 Stewart Jr. with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 2 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 2, 1999 Melbourne, Florida | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| NPB debut | |
| April 17, 2021, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| NPB statistics (through October 12, 2024) | |
| Win–loss record | 12-12 |
| Earned run average | 2.89 |
| Strikeouts | 208 |
| Teams | |
| |
Scott Carter Stewart Jr. (born November 2, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Early career
[edit]Stewart attended and graduated from Eau Gallie High School in Eau Gallie, Florida.[1] As a junior in 2017, he went 11–2 with a 0.81 earned run average (ERA) and 104 strikeouts. During the summer of 2017, he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park.[2] As a senior in 2018, he was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for Florida after going 6–2 with a 0.91 ERA and 128 strikeouts.[3] He committed to play college baseball at Mississippi State University.[4]
Stewart was considered one of the top prospects for the 2018 Major League Baseball draft,[5][6] and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the eighth overall pick.[7] Due to a wrist injury, Atlanta offered a signing bonus below the full value of the draft slot,[8] and Stewart did not sign with the Braves.[9][10]
Stewart enrolled at Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) for the 2018–19 academic year in order to be eligible for selection in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[11] With the EFSC Titans, who compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Stewart made 13 starts, compiling a 2–2 record with 1.70 ERA and 108 strikeouts.[12]
Professional career
[edit]Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
[edit]On May 21, 2019, sports website The Athletic reported that Stewart agreed to contract terms with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[13] On May 30, the Hawks officially announced that Stewart had agreed to and signed a six-year contract that guarantees him as much as $7 million.[14]
In the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Stewart pitched in the Western League of NPB's minor leagues and also in unofficial games against Shikoku Island League Plus's teams.
On April 17, 2021, Stewart made his NPB debut in the ninth inning of a game against the Saitama Seibu Lions.[15] He struck out two batters, walked one, and his fastball was measured at 94 miles per hour.[16] In 2022, Stewart didn't get a chance to pitch for the Hawks in the Pacific League and spent the season with their farm team in the Western League.
On July 26, 2023, Stewart earned his first NPB win after tossing six scoreless innings in a 7–1 victory over the Orix Buffaloes.[17] In 2023, he appeared in 14 games for the Hawks, posting a 3–6 win–loss record, 3.38 ERA, and 67 strikeouts across 77+1⁄3 innings. Stewart also pitched as a starter in Game 1 of the first stage of the 2023 Pacific League Climax Series.[18]
On December 15, 2023, Stewart signed a two–year, $10 million contract extension with the Hawks.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ "Carter Stewart Takes His Curve For A Spin". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- ^ "MLB Draft 2018: Carter Stewart's ceiling is the highest of any pitcher in the draft | MLB". Sporting News. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- ^ "MSU signees earn Gatorade state honors". djournal.com. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- ^ "Braves unable to agree with top pick Stewart".
- ^ "MLB Draft profile on prospect Carter Stewart". MLB.com. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- ^ "MLB.com 2018 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- ^ Bowman, Mark (June 4, 2018). "Braves draft RHP Stewart, OF Jenista on Day 1". MLB.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
- ^ "Carter Stewart bypasses MLB, could join J.T. Ginn at Mississippi State".
- ^ "ALL-USA Watch: Eau Gallie pitcher Carter Stewart keeps focus on mound and on the tee | USA TODAY High School Sports". usatodayhss.com. 23 April 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
- ^ "Braves top draft pick Carter Stewart chooses not to sign, heading to school". talkingchop.com. July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- ^ Sears, Ethan (May 21, 2019). "Carter Stewart, top MLB prospect, bolts to Japan after Braves fight". New York Post. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ "Carter Stewart named NJCAA Region 8 Pitcher of the Week". efsctitans.com. May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ @Ken_Rosenthal (May 21, 2019). "RHP Carter Stewart, who attended Eastern Florida State College after failing to sign with the #Braves as the No. 8 overall pick in last year's draft, is in agreement on a contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League, sources tell The Athletic" (Tweet). Retrieved May 21, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Teenage pitcher Carter Stewart excited to begin pro career in Japan". 31 May 2019.
- ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) 「背番2」の投手ソフトバンク・スチュワートが2K 0封1軍デビュー". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ TODAY, FLORIDA. "Former Eau Gallie High star Carter Stewart makes big league debut in Japan". Florida Today. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ^ "Stewart, the major hot eye on the " golden egg " raised over time, jd the team is considering extending the contract". news.yahoo.co.jp. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Sports Nippon baseball news CS初登板初先発のソフトバンク・スチュワート ロッテ打線、大応援にのまれ… 痛恨の3回途中4失点降板". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). October 14, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
- ^ "Baseball: Hawks hand Stewart 2-year contract extension". nippon.com. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- ESFC Titans bio
- Career statistics – NPB.jp
- 2 Carter Stewart, Jr. PLAYERS2024 – Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site