Levi Stoudt

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #16 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Stoudt was a durable and effective starter at Lehigh, but wear and tear meant his right elbow ligament was torn when the Mariners picked him in the third round in 2019. He opted for Tommy John surgery and had to wait until 2021 to make his pro debut. A revelation in 2021, he struggled more in 2022, but after the Reds acquired him in the Luis Castillo trade, he finished the season on a roll after a jump to Triple-A Louisville.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt has plus control, a mid-90s above-average fastball that can touch 98 mph and a low-80s plus split-changeup that has been a diabolical weapon at its best. His changeup wasn't as consistent in 2022, but his now average mid-80s slider has improved. He also flips over a mid-70s curveball. Both the curve and changeup aren't in-zone offerings, but Stoudt controls his fastball well enough to get ahead in counts.
  
  The Future: The Reds added Stoudt to their 40-man roster. He has a year or two more to help the Reds figure out if he's going to be a power reliever or back-of-the-rotation starter. He needs to gain consistency if he's going to avoid a future move to the pen, but his varied pitch mix and control seem to point to him being able to handle the challenge.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #8 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Stoudt finished third in Lehigh history with a career 2.69 ERA and showed his stuff played against top competition with a solid summer in the Cape Cod League prior to his junior season. The Mariners drafted him in the third round in 2019 and signed him for $339,000. Stoudt had Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted and didn’t make his pro debut until 2021, but he made up for lost time with a quick ascent. He went 7-3, 3.31 in 15 starts and averaged more than a strikeout per inning while rising from High-A to Double-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt got stronger during his rehab and came back throwing harder after surgery. His previously 91-95 mph fastball now ranges from 94-98 mph with good downhill plane. His best pitch is a split-changeup in the low 80s with late dive and run, and the added separation between his fastball and changeup has helped both pitches play up. Both are now consistently above-average pitches and flash plus at their best. Stoudt’s slurvy, mid-80s slider is an average pitch that flashes higher, and he has gotten better at separating it from his fringy, mid-70s curveball. Stoudt battled his control at times in his pro debut, but his simple, clean delivery and fluid arm action should yield average control as he moves farther away from surgery. He does have some effort in his delivery and needs to prove his durability after pitching only 81.2 innings last season.
  
  The Future: Stoudt projects to be a solid, consistent No. 4 starter who isn’t flashy but gets the job done. He’ll start at Triple-A Tacoma in 2022.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #12 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Stoudt was selected by the Mariners in the third round in 2019 and had Tommy John surgery shortly after he was drafted. His first game action came at 2020 instructional league, where he struck out 10 batters and walked three over nine innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stoudt thrives with above-average control and command of four pitches. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched as high as 97 during instructs. He moves his fastball around the zone effectively with a good downhill plane. Stoudt's best secondary pitch is a split-changeup that has earned future plus-plus grades from observers. Thrown with a vulcan grip, it's a pitch he uses to get swings-and-misses from both righthanded and lefthanded batters. Stoudt has scrapped his curveball in favor of a sweepier slider with roughly 15 inches of horizontal break. His delivery has some effort but his arm action is fluid.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stoudt will make his pro debut in 2021. He likely projects toward the back of a rotation, but his performance in the fall added a bit more ceiling.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #112 prospect in 2019 draft
  A 6-foot-1 righthander with a simple, clean delivery, Stoudt has been a solid presence in Lehigh's starting rotation for three years, posting a 2.97 ERA through his first 34 starts. Stoudt pitches off of a plus fastball that's in the 91-95 mph range, with an athletic, repeatable delivery and consistent release point. Stoudt has a split-changeup that is currently an averaging offering, and he's shown a breaking ball that can be solid-average at times. However, he's experimented with different grips on his breaking ball, so he'll need to improve the consistency of the offering moving forward. There are plenty of starter's traits with Stoudt, even if he doesn't have top-end pure stuff, and he'll need to improve his secondaires to increase his potential upside. While Stoudt has put up consistent numbers over three years in the Patriot League, he also showed solid stuff last summer over in the Cape Cod League, despite the fact that his control backed up severely in that 25-inning stretch. Stoudt walked 5.68 batters per nine innings last summer, but he's never walked more than 3.21 batters per nine innings while pitching for Lehigh.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #9 prospect in 2021
  For the first portion of the season, the Everett rotation was absolutely stacked. Three of its members appear on this list and two more—Brandon Williamson and Emerson Hancock—fell a few innings short of qualifying. Of the trio who made the cut, Stoudt is probably the least known name. His dynamite arsenal could change that quickly. Stoudt, who had Tommy John surgery in his draft year of 2019, features mix of three potentially plus pitches. His fastball ranges from 94-98 mph with carrying action through the zone. His headlining second pitch is a Vulcan-grip changeup with trap-door drop. He also throws a sweeper slider with up to 20 inches of break to give him something with lateral movement. Stoudt still has command and control issues to iron out, but he showcased enough pure stuff in his first test as a professional to give the Mariners another potential future rotation piece.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Stoudt was a durable and effective starter at Lehigh, but wear and tear meant his right elbow ligament was torn when the Mariners picked him in the third round in 2019. He opted for Tommy John surgery and had to wait until 2021 to make his pro debut. A revelation in 2021, he struggled more in 2022, but after the Reds acquired him in the Luis Castillo trade, he finished the season on a roll after a jump to Triple-A Louisville.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt has plus control, a mid-90s above-average fastball that can touch 98 mph and a low-80s plus split-changeup that has been a diabolical weapon at its best. His changeup wasn't as consistent in 2022, but his now average mid-80s slider has improved. He also flips over a mid-70s curveball. Both the curve and changeup aren't in-zone offerings, but Stoudt controls his fastball well enough to get ahead in counts.
  
  The Future: The Reds added Stoudt to their 40-man roster. He has a year or two more to help the Reds figure out if he's going to be a power reliever or back-of-the-rotation starter. He needs to gain consistency if he's going to avoid a future move to the pen, but his varied pitch mix and control seem to point to him being able to handle the challenge.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Stoudt was a durable and effective starter at Lehigh, but wear and tear meant his right elbow ligament was torn when the Mariners picked him in the third round in 2019. He opted for Tommy John surgery and had to wait until 2021 to make his pro debut. A revelation in 2021, he struggled more in 2022, but after the Reds acquired him in the Luis Castillo trade, he finished the season on a roll after a jump to Triple-A Louisville.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt has plus control, a mid-90s above-average fastball that can touch 98 mph and a low-80s plus split-changeup that has been a diabolical weapon at its best. His changeup wasn't as consistent in 2022, but his now average mid-80s slider has improved. He also flips over a mid-70s curveball. Both the curve and changeup aren't in-zone offerings, but Stoudt controls his fastball well enough to get ahead in counts.
  
  The Future: The Reds added Stoudt to their 40-man roster. He has a year or two more to help the Reds figure out if he's going to be a power reliever or back-of-the-rotation starter. He needs to gain consistency if he's going to avoid a future move to the pen, but his varied pitch mix and control seem to point to him being able to handle the challenge.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Stoudt finished third in Lehigh history with a career 2.69 ERA and showed his stuff played against top competition with a solid summer in the Cape Cod League prior to his junior season. The Mariners drafted him in the third round in 2019 and signed him for $339,000. Stoudt had Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted and didn&#39t make his pro debut until 2021, but he made up for lost time with a quick ascent. He went 7-3, 3.31 in 15 starts and averaged more than a strikeout per inning while rising from High-A to Double-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt got stronger during his rehab and came back throwing harder after surgery. His previously 91-95 mph fastball now ranges from 94-98 mph with good downhill plane. His best pitch is a split-changeup in the low 80s with late dive and run, and the added separation between his fastball and changeup has helped both pitches play up. Both are now consistently above-average pitches and flash plus at their best. Stoudt&#39s slurvy, mid-80s slider is an average pitch that flashes higher, and he has gotten better at separating it from his fringy, mid-70s curveball. Stoudt battled his control at times in his pro debut, but his simple, clean delivery and fluid arm action should yield average control as he moves farther away from surgery. He does have some effort in his delivery and needs to prove his durability after pitching only 81.2 innings last season.
  
  The Future: Stoudt projects to be a solid, consistent No. 4 starter who isn&#39t flashy but gets the job done. He&#39ll start at Triple-A Tacoma in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Stoudt finished third in Lehigh history with a career 2.69 ERA and showed his stuff played against top competition with a solid summer in the Cape Cod League prior to his junior season. The Mariners drafted him in the third round in 2019 and signed him for $339,000. Stoudt had Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted and didn’t make his pro debut until 2021, but he made up for lost time with a quick ascent. He went 7-3, 3.31 in 15 starts and averaged more than a strikeout per inning while rising from High-A to Double-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stoudt got stronger during his rehab and came back throwing harder after surgery. His previously 91-95 mph fastball now ranges from 94-98 mph with good downhill plane. His best pitch is a split-changeup in the low 80s with late dive and run, and the added separation between his fastball and changeup has helped both pitches play up. Both are now consistently above-average pitches and flash plus at their best. Stoudt’s slurvy, mid-80s slider is an average pitch that flashes higher, and he has gotten better at separating it from his fringy, mid-70s curveball. Stoudt battled his control at times in his pro debut, but his simple, clean delivery and fluid arm action should yield average control as he moves farther away from surgery. He does have some effort in his delivery and needs to prove his durability after pitching only 81.2 innings last season.
  
  The Future: Stoudt projects to be a solid, consistent No. 4 starter who isn’t flashy but gets the job done. He’ll start at Triple-A Tacoma in 2022.
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  For the first portion of the season, the Everett rotation was absolutely stacked. Three of its members appear on this list and two more—Brandon Williamson and Emerson Hancock—fell a few innings short of qualifying. Of the trio who made the cut, Stoudt is probably the least known name. His dynamite arsenal could change that quickly. Stoudt, who had Tommy John surgery in his draft year of 2019, features mix of three potentially plus pitches. His fastball ranges from 94-98 mph with carrying action through the zone. His headlining second pitch is a Vulcan-grip changeup with trap-door drop. He also throws a sweeper slider with up to 20 inches of break to give him something with lateral movement. Stoudt still has command and control issues to iron out, but he showcased enough pure stuff in his first test as a professional to give the Mariners another potential future rotation piece.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Stoudt was selected by the Mariners in the third round in 2019 and had Tommy John surgery shortly after he was drafted. His first game action came at 2020 instructional league, where he struck out 10 batters and walked three over nine innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stoudt thrives with above-average control and command of four pitches. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched as high as 97 during instructs. He moves his fastball around the zone effectively with a good downhill plane. Stoudt's best secondary pitch is a split-changeup that has earned future plus-plus grades from observers. Thrown with a vulcan grip, it's a pitch he uses to get swings-and-misses from both righthanded and lefthanded batters. Stoudt has scrapped his curveball in favor of a sweepier slider with roughly 15 inches of horizontal break. His delivery has some effort but his arm action is fluid.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stoudt will make his pro debut in 2021. He likely projects toward the back of a rotation, but his performance in the fall added a bit more ceiling.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Stoudt was selected by the Mariners in the third round in 2019 and had Tommy John surgery shortly after he was drafted. His first game action came at 2020 instructional league, where he struck out 10 batters and walked three over nine innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stoudt thrives with above-average control and command of four pitches. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched as high as 97 during instructs. He moves his fastball around the zone effectively with a good downhill plane. Stoudt's best secondary pitch is a split-changeup that has earned future plus-plus grades from observers. Thrown with a vulcan grip, it's a pitch he uses to get swings-and-misses from both righthanded and lefthanded batters. Stoudt has scrapped his curveball in favor of a sweepier slider with roughly 15 inches of horizontal break. His delivery has some effort but his arm action is fluid.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stoudt will make his pro debut in 2021. He likely projects toward the back of a rotation, but his performance in the fall added a bit more ceiling.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Stoudt was selected by the Mariners in the third round in 2019 and had Tommy John surgery shortly after he was drafted. His first game action came at 2020 instructional league, where he struck out 10 batters and walked three over nine innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Stoudt thrives with above-average control and command of four pitches. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched as high as 97 during instructs. He moves his fastball around the zone effectively with a good downhill plane. Stoudt's best secondary pitch is a split-changeup that has earned future plus-plus grades from observers. Thrown with a vulcan grip, it's a pitch he uses to get swings-and-misses from both righthanded and lefthanded batters. Stoudt has scrapped his curveball in favor of a sweepier slider with roughly 15 inches of horizontal break. His delivery has some effort but his arm action is fluid.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stoudt will make his pro debut in 2021. He likely projects toward the back of a rotation, but his performance in the fall added a bit more ceiling.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  A 6-foot-1 righthander with a simple, clean delivery, Stoudt has been a solid presence in Lehigh's starting rotation for three years, posting a 2.97 ERA through his first 34 starts. Stoudt pitches off of a plus fastball that's in the 91-95 mph range, with an athletic, repeatable delivery and consistent release point. Stoudt has a split-changeup that is currently an averaging offering, and he's shown a breaking ball that can be solid-average at times. However, he's experimented with different grips on his breaking ball, so he'll need to improve the consistency of the offering moving forward. There are plenty of starter's traits with Stoudt, even if he doesn't have top-end pure stuff, and he'll need to improve his secondaires to increase his potential upside. While Stoudt has put up consistent numbers over three years in the Patriot League, he also showed solid stuff last summer over in the Cape Cod League, despite the fact that his control backed up severely in that 25-inning stretch. Stoudt walked 5.68 batters per nine innings last summer, but he's never walked more than 3.21 batters per nine innings while pitching for Lehigh.