CLEVELAND -- Guardians pitching prospect Khal Stephen landed on the 7-day Minor League injured list on Wednesday with right elbow soreness, according to a club announcement.
Stephen (who’s ranked as the Guardians’ No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline) most recently pitched on Sunday in a start with Double-A Akron. However, he threw just one scoreless inning against the Chesapeake Baysox before he exited the game.
Stephen is in the midst of his first full season with the Guardians organization. Cleveland acquired him ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline in 2025, in a 1-for-1 deal that sent right-hander Shane Bieber to the Blue Jays.
Over 12 starts with Akron this season, Stephen has logged a 3.44 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 23 walks over 55 innings. He made four starts with Akron this past summer (which included his Cleveland organization debut on Aug. 24) after he spent close to one month on the IL with a right shoulder impingement.
Stephen is ranked as the Guardians' top pitching prospect by Pipeline, and a natural progression this summer could see him reach Triple-A. Cleveland is optimistic about his potential as a big league starting pitcher, which dates to before it acquired him from Toronto.
The Guardians were interested in drafting Stephen in 2024, before the Blue Jays landed him with the No. 59 overall pick out of Mississippi State.