MSSU's Stevenson was 'no-brainer' for Oakland

Jul. 21—In the world of scouting, it's all about building a track record.

The Oakland Athletics started that process over a year ago when they came across a talented catcher at Missouri Southern named Tommy Stevenson.

Intrigued by the 6-foot-4 catcher's tool set, Oakland's Midwest area scout Steve Abney put Stevenson down on his follow list ahead of the 2022 spring season.

And boy did Stevenson give Abney a good encore.

The Kirkwood High School product slashed .385/.484/.801 with 16 home runs and 42 RBI in 156 at-bats (40 games) as a sophomore.

Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon, Stevenson heard his name called by the A's as he was selected in the 19th round (574th overall) on the final day of Major League Baseball's Amateur Draft.

"(Tommy's) an athlete. It's a good body. It's some impact with the bat," said Abney, who was fresh off a three-hour flight from Oakland landing into Kansas City International Airport on Wednesday. "He's just an athlete with power. It's not like there are not a lot of players left like that late in the draft, but hey, he was a no-brainer. He's an interesting guy."

Stevenson, who plans to sign with Oakland, became the 16th player from Missouri Southern to be drafted and the fifth under current coach Bryce Darnell, joining Max Hogan (2017), Logan Moon (2014), Joe Lincoln (2010) and Justin Beal (2009).

Hearing his name called was a dream come true.

"It's a bunch of stress off my shoulders," Stevenson said after the draft Tuesday. "It was a long wait, but it was definitely worth it. All of my hard work has paid off. The hard work my teammates put into me and my coaches and my trainers and just everyone that has put their time and dedication into me. I've been thanking all of them for believing in me and having faith in me."

This year, Stevenson was a second-team All-MIAA selection at catcher. His 16 home runs is tied for second-most in a single-season at MSSU, but he was on pace to break Jesse Rall's mark of 18 before a thumb sprain and gruesome leg injury.

Stevenson also saw time in the Northwoods League this summer.

The 21-year-old was announced by Oakland as a first baseman, but don't read too far into that.

"It's catcher first," Abney said. "He's going to play some first base this summer, too. He was pretty good there. It was more than adequate. Tommy is exciting in a way. I think there's a lot of upside. In that round, we were lucky to get an upside guy like him."

What about the bat?

"I think he gets to a position of strength," Abney said. "A lot of college hitters don't create what we call separation in the load. But if you look at his film, you see his hands moving in a position where he can leverage the ball because he's strong and he's going to be stronger. But he gets into a position to hit where he's ready to hit.

"A lot of guys don't move their hands back and create separation. Tommy does and gets to a position of power. I think he'll learn to control the strike zone. He'll learn he can run counts deeper. He's got the world ahead of him."

Stevenson will report to Oakland's spring training facility. He is set to start his pro career in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League with the A's other draft picks and Latin America players.

"He better learn a little Spanish in a hurry," Abney quipped. "I don't think he'll be intimidated or anything by that level. He'll be relaxed. It's a relaxed environment. You can develop and not have the pressure of winning games. It's all about improvement."

After that, only time will tell how quickly Stevenson can move up Oakland's minor league ladder and to the doorstep of the big leagues.

"We all like to dream, but this guy's an athlete," Abney said. "I think the makeup is there. He's got enough arm strength (behind the plate). For a taller guy, he doesn't have a lot of wasted or excessive motion. If you watch his film on his exchange with his throws, he stays behind the front of the plate. Sometimes you see guys way out in front. That shows he's got some timing and quickness in his release. With professional instruction, I think this guy has a chance to take off."