Former 8th Overall MLB Pick Carter Stewart Jr. Thriving in NPB

TOKYO, Japan – Central Florida product Carter Stewart Jr. was one of the top prospects of the 2018 MLB draft class and even earned consideration as the No. 1 overall pick. With a projectable 6-foot-6 frame, high-90s fastball, and 3,000+ rpm curveball, Stewart received a Rick Porcello comp and eventually went 8th overall to the Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, he failed the team’s physical due to ligament damage in his wrist, resulting in a significant underslot offer which Stewart rejected.

He enrolled at a local junior college, hoping to declare for the MLB Draft again the following year, but a different opportunity presented itself to his agent, Scott Boras. On May 21, 2019, Stewart made an unprecedented move by signing a six-year contract with NPB’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, guaranteeing him $7 million, far exceeding the $4,980,700 slot value he was expected to receive from Atlanta. Of course, there was a risk with Stewart’s decision – he was committing himself to play professional baseball in a foreign country he had never before visited. If things worked out, however, Stewart could open the door to an entirely new path for American prospects.

The first few years of Stewart’s journey in Japan were challenging, to say the least, as the COVID-19 pandemic further isolated him in an unfamiliar location. Not only was Stewart asked to develop his skills on the field, but he also had to grow up and learn to become an adult in a completely uncomfortable environment. Stewart spent his first two years pitching in the Hawks’ farm system, playing games against the Shikoku Island League Plus, Japan’s most competitive independent league, and the Western League, one of NPB’s top minor leagues. In 2020, he pitched in 15 official games in the minors, pitching to a 4.16 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 67 innings.

The following year, Stewart had much better results in the minors, with a 1.84 ERA in 53.2 frames and 55 strikeouts. He was called up to make his NPB debut on April 17, making four relief appearances before being sent back down in May. In August, he returned to the top team and made his first career start against the Nippon-Ham Fighters, throwing five no-hit innings with nine strikeouts, contributing to a combined no-hitter for the team (the game ended 0-0 because NPB did not play extra innings in 2021 due to pandemic protocols).

He was used as a swingman the rest of the way and had mixed results, with a 32.1 K% and an 18.8 BB%. Though he was still raw and unpolished, the arm talent was clearly there. Overall, in 11 NPB games, he had a 2.81 FIP but struggled to keep runs off the board with a 6.08 ERA.

He didn’t appear at the NPB level in 2022, spending the entire year on the farm with a 3.19 ERA and 5.10 FIP across 53.2 innings. Stewart’s velocity was progressing well, averaging 94.1 mph on his fastball. However, he struggled to find the strike zone consistently and failed to get a feel for his secondaries other than the curveball. Going into 2023, Stewart was still just 23 years old but had already completed over half of his six-year deal. SoftBank was expecting results sooner rather than later.

Stewart opened the season on the farm again and showed major improvements from the past, striking out a career-high 34.1% of hitters while lowering his walk rate to an impressive 3.5% in his first four starts. With the Hawks hurting for starting pitching, Stewart was called up to make his season debut on June 18 against the Hanshin Tigers, throwing 5.1 shutout innings with eight strikeouts and running his fastball up to 99 mph. He held his spot in the starting rotation for the rest of the season, still getting inconsistent results due to his walk problem and extreme flyball profile, but managing a solid 3.38 ERA and 4.09 FIP in 77.1 innings.

At the end of the 2023 season, Stewart signed a two-year contract extension worth around $9.9 million, keeping him in a Hawks uniform through the 2026 season. With the added security of an extension, the 24-year-old Stewart was finally settling into life in Japan and entered the 2024 campaign poised for a breakout. “The first few years were very stressful, but now that I have my daily life in order, I can focus on baseball again,” Stewart told RKB Mainichi Broadcasting in May 2024.

So far this season, Stewart is having a career year with a 2.34 ERA and 3.38 FIP in 57.2 innings across ten starts. His four-seamer, which he uses 48% of the time, is averaging 94.9 mph, and his split-finger usage is up by 9%, from 15% to 24%, with opponents hitting just .098 against the pitch and a 22.7 SwStr%. His newfound comfort with the splitter is putting less pressure on his hammer curveball, providing him with three legit pitches. He also has a slider with high spin, which is still a work in progress.

Minor League Statistics (2020-2023)

NPB Statistics (2021, 2023-2024)

His two recent outings have been particularly outstanding, striking out double-digit batters with over 20 whiffs each game. Though Stewart still has an 11.2 BB% this season, he’s maintained a 25.3 K% thanks to his unique blend of American and Japanese pitching philosophies, climbing the ladder with his big fastball and getting whiffs below the zone with his splitter.

As Stewart establishes himself as one of NPB’s best strikeout artists, he’ll go down in history as a trailblazer for his willingness to take a major risk at a young age. Whether he spends his entire career in Japan or elects to jump to MLB after his contract, Stewart’s journey will continue to captivate baseball fans worldwide.

Photo Credit: Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. poses for a photo with eighth overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft Carter Stewart during the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images)

Yuri Karasawa

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