KC · P
Stephen Kolek
Age 29 B/T R/R 6′3″, 210 lb USA MLB debut 2024
- Kansas City’s roster as it stands #4 starter · 109 IP · 1.0 WAR in the role
- Injured list Ended 2026 on the 60-day IL: Right flexor strain (since Jul 19)
- Trade read Available at a price: KC 39% playoff odds; control through 2030.
Keystone Stuff 90 10th pct
2026 fWAR 0.5
Projected 2027 WAR 1.0 at 108 IP · 1.0 in his 2027 role
Pitching · 2026 percentiles
vs. MLB pitchers with 500+ pitches · 837 pitches
54.0 IP4.50 ERA4.54 FIP 34° arm
Arsenal & Pitch Lab
Movement normalized to arm side · Keystone Stuff by pitch
| Pitch | Use | Velo | IVB | HB | Stuff | Loc | Whiff | xRV/100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-seam28% use | 28% | 94.2 | 13.2 | +6.4 | 88 | 109 | 19% | +0.86 |
| Sinker22% use | 22% | 93.7 | 5.0 | +14.8 | 93 | 110 | 6% | +0.13 |
| Slider16% use | 16% | 85.6 | −0.4 | −3.2 | 101 | 99 | 43% | +1.24 |
| Cutter12% use | 12% | 90.3 | 6.5 | −1.9 | 95 | 103 | 21% | +0.94 |
| Changeup12% use | 12% | 87.1 | 2.6 | +12.1 | 86 | 115 | 16% | −1.65 |
| Sweeper9% use | 9% | 79.9 | −5.4 | −14.7 | 98 | 88 | 9% | −1.75 |
No mix change or new pitch clears its bar. The arsenal is efficient for its shapes.
Most similar pitchers
Pitches like Kolek: same hand, shape, slot and mix
| Similarity | Player | Stuff | ’26 WAR | ’27 proj | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | Colin Rea CHC · ’90 | 96 | 0.4 | 0.4 | Free agent |
| 66 | Zebby Matthews MIN · ’00 | 92 | 0.7 | 1.1 | — |
| 63 | Max Scherzer TOR · ’84 | 97 | 0.3 | 0.1 | Free agent |
| 60 | Tomoyuki Sugano COL · ’89 | 84 | 0.4 | −0.1 | Free agent |
| 58 | Keider Montero DET · ’00 | 92 | 2.5 | 1.7 | Pre-arb |
Same-handed pitchers nearest on fastball velocity and shape, arm angle, extension, pitch mix, secondary shapes, Stuff, whiff rate and workload. 2026 regulars only.
Pitch locations · 2026
Where each pitch finishes, by batter side
Where each pitch finishes, catcher’s view. The bar marks the batter’s side; the box is an average strike zone. Pitches with 40+ thrown to this side.
Contract & projection
Club control (RosterResource) · Keystone projected WAR
2027 1.0 WAR Pre-arb $780K*
2028 0.9 WAR Arbitration $2.2M*
2029 0.7 WAR Arbitration $4.0M*
2030 0.5 WAR Arbitration $5.5M*
* projected arbitration or minimum salary. Contract Studio →
Minor leagues
MLB Stats API · public box-score data
| SeasonLevel | Level | Team | Age | G | PA / IP | PA / IP ·Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026AAA | AAA | Omaha Storm Chasers | 29 | 5 | 19 IP | 19 IP · 3.32 ERA · 20.5% K · 4.8% BB |
| 2025AAA | AAA | Omaha Storm Chasers | 28 | 11 | 46 IP | 46 IP · 6.26 ERA · 18.6% K · 6.8% BB |