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From “The BA 500”

15) Tyler Stephenson

Stephenson didn’t attend many of the big summer showcases last year, instead focusing on playing summer ball in the competitive East Cobb program (East Cobb Yankees). That kept him out of the spotlight, but not off of scouts’ radars, and he also was one of the stars of the WWBA World Championships last fall. He missed a few weeks this spring due to an oblique injury, but played well in his return and subsequently shot up draft boards, even generating some buzz as a potential first overall pick. In a class that is light on catching, the Georgia Tech commit stands out. Stephenson is big for a catcher (listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds), but he is an excellent defender. He is very quiet behind the plate and frames pitches well thanks to his strong, soft hands. He has plus arm strength and once he gets his footwork down has the potential to be an above-average defender. Offensively, he creates raw power thanks to his strength. There is some length to his swing and he didn’t hit all that well with a wood bat last summer. But his advanced skills behind the plate will allow a team to be patient has he figures things out offensively.

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