Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks pitching prospect Carter Stewart will face NPB hitters for the first time on Friday, according to a blog post from reporter Jim Allen. Stewart is scheduled to pitch as the Hawks will face the Chiba Lotte Marines in a practice game. (COVID-19 concerns have delayed the opening day in Japan’s MLB equivalent from March 20 until April 10, at the earliest. But the fact that they are even playing “practice” games is more than can be said about North American baseball.)
Stewart’s story is one that has already been full of surprises. After he wowed the scouts as a high-schooler, he was selected by the Braves eighth overall in the 2018 draft. However, they were unable to come to an agreement on a contract after the team became concerned about his medicals and offered him a deal so far below his slot value that it caused the MLBPA to file a grievance on his behalf. After the Braves won that grievance, Stewart ultimately decided to take the unprecedented step of signing with the Hawks in May of 2019, just days before that year’s draft.
In his post, Allen writes that Stewart only pitched to lower level opponents in 2019, similar to how drafted prospects go on to face minor league competition before working their way up to the majors. So, this will be a noticeable jump in competition for the young hurler. “Obviously, they can hit a little bit better,” Stewart says, “so maybe they’re going to put me in a little bit tougher situations, but obviously, you’ve still got to perform.”
How Stewart’s trajectory plays out from here will be fascinating to watch. His six-year contract comes with a base of $6.2MM but with incentives that can push it into the $11MM-$12MM range. That means there are a wide range of outcomes in terms of his earnings, and the consequences of those earnings could be vast. If the industry perspective is that Stewart made a wise financial decision and earned more than he would have by staying in North America, it might cause other youngsters to follow in his footsteps, or make MLB reconsider how younger players are compensated. That’s a topic which has often come up in relation to the tense relationship between the players and the league. With no games currently scheduled in North America, baseball-hungry fans can at least look overseas for an intriguing story with potentially far-reaching implications.
Really crazy story. Hope he makes it to the bigs someday. I’m very intrigued that Japan is already playing practice games and that makes me a little more optimistic about baseball that we can start up by early to mid May
They have been playing spring training games since Feb. Just like here. They play minus fans. The beginning of the season has been postponed, just like here. Don’t expect any games here till maybe June.
we got a live one here Angel’s. reel him in!
I was super stoked to see the Braves draft him 8th overall and his family just as excited to see him get drafted by the Braves. I guess well never know the true story of the physical but was bummed to see him go unsigned. On one point it looks lind of cocky that he is skipping the minors to go to China, but I gave Kurt Cousins a ton of respect on tagging the franchise tag year after year and betting on himself. Take some balls for an athlete to take this type of bet on themselves.
Ah, he’s in Japan.
More than “kind of” cocky. He and his agent filed a frivolous grievance against the team that drafted him.
I don’t think az grasped the details of the story.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a change in the future where players selected in the 1st round are paid, at least, the slot value or they become FAs.
And as is the case now if they reject it they must wait to be redrafted the following year or sign with another league.
Maybe, but the rules as they are now are black and white and they say that the Braves had to offer him 40% of slot value. That’s it. So either Scott Boras doesn’t know how to calculate 40% of known slot value or he and Carter Stewart acted in bad faith.
How is that bad faith? They didn’t like the contract. They didn’t sign it. Filing a grievance is a legal move done by agents and unions, afterward. Everything he did was clearly above board. That a grievance was filed against the Braves shows that their actions were not as clear.
They didn’t file the grievance over being offered 40% slot value.
They filed the grievance over the reason he was offered 40% of his slot value- the “wrist injury”
In all likelihood the braves drafted him 8th overall and had a deal in place to do so, did their medical inspection, found something they found worrisome after drafting him, backed out of the deal and offered a lower amount, and a grievance was filed. Reports indicated around 4mil would have been enough to sign him. Braves offered less than 2mil, just enough to get the comp pick.
If anything it was the braves who acted in bad faith by drafting him, having a deal in place, and then backing out of it.
Idk if teams can look at prospect medicals or do examinations prior to drafts, but I don’t think they can.
@stymeedone they claimed the Braves didn’t offer 40% of slot even though they did, even though there is no way Stewart and Boras didn’t know from the start what the Braves offered and what the assigned slot value was and even though this issue had already been ruled upon in the past and the ruling was that if the team offered 40% of slot or more, they were in the clear. Unless you are trying to tell me that Scott Boras doesn’t know how to calculate 40% of known slot value it was the very definition of “bad faith.”
@All American Johnsonville Dogs…
Yes the grievance was about being offered 40% of slot.
talkingchop.com/2018/10/3/17934550/atlanta-braves-…
Anyway, pre-draft deals are not legally binding for either the team or the player. The team can lower their offer for any reason at all, as can the player ask for more money after the draft for any reason at all. The other side is under no obligation to meet those demands, but the only way Stewart had any grounds for an actual grievance was if the Braves’ final offer was below 40% of slot. This issue was ruled on back in 2010 after the incident with the Diamondbacks and Barret Loux.
Again, if the Braves did offer 40% of slot and Stewart and Boras knew about it, then they absolutely acted in bad faith here. And there was no way they didn’t know what the Braves’ offer was and what the assigned slot value was.
More like the Braves got cocky and wanted to take those players money and give it to another, have their cake and eat it too. I’m glad it blew up in their face. There is a difference between a grievance being a long shot and it being frivolous
“To secure a compensation pick, a team must offer a player 40 percent of his assigned slot value. Baseball set the value of the No. 8 pick at $4,980,700, meaning the Braves’ final offer to Stewart had to be a minimum of $1,992,280.”
The Braves reportedly planned to sign Stewart below his slotted value in order to sign pitcher Zack Hess, whom they drafted in the 34th round, to a contract higher than his allotted slot. But after discovering a ligament issue in his right wrist, the Braves chose against signing Stewart, lost the money allotted to his draft slot and were also unable to sign Hess.”
Again, the Braves were allowed to do that. Stewart didn’t have to sign with them for any amount of money if he didn’t want to, but the only way he had any grounds for an actual grievance is if the Braves’ final offer was less than 40% of slot.
Yes there is a difference between a grievance being a long-shot and being frivolous. This one falls under the latter. A long-shot implies a small but nonzero chance of success. If the Braves actually did offer 40% of slot then Stewart and Boras had to know from the start that there was no chance of winning this one.
If you knowingly claim that the other side didn’t do something they were required to do when they actually did do it, then it is the very definition of frivolous.
Stewart’s gonna command a heck of a deal when his NPB deal is up if he can stay healthy.
This guy hasn’t proved he could get NPB hitters out yet. He also is under control for 5 more years……I’m not quite sure how you or anyone else would know he’s going to get a heck of a deal. I find myself bewildered by the things you say on here.
DarkSide is implying that Stewart will find success. Why? Not sure. What I do know is you must find yourself bewildered 100% of the time since nearly everything you say on here is inept.
You are quite the sensitive individual. I wouldn’t get so worked up about something that didn’t involve you!
WAJGH coming in with his classic! A useless and not even remotely funny response!
For this dandy I give you the award for:
Being a waste of internet space!
Congratulations on the award! I’m sure there will be many more coming your way.
The fact that they are playing exhibition games in Japan makes me feel good about the chances of a MLB season.
I spoke with a friend the other night that is stationed in Japan. He said things are getting back to normal there. he said a month ago they did what we’re doing now here in the states
That sounds very good. I’m relieved.
Good for him for taking his life into his own hands. As long as he plays it wise with his money, he’s set up for his future.