Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Stebens underwent Tommy John surgery last week, according to SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker. As a result, he will miss the entire 2026 season and possibly the start of 2027 as well.
Stebens is not ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The 24-year-old right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 16th round (478th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Oklahoma State. He received an at-slot $150,000 signing bonus and put up solid numbers in each of his first two professional seasons.
After first reaching High-A Greenville in late April 2024, Stebens spent all of 2025 with Boston’s South Atlantic League affiliate. In a team-high 38 relief appearances for the Drive, the righty posted a 2.15 ERA (4.03 FIP) with 59 strikeouts to 29 walks over 50 1/3 innings. Opponents batted just .198 against him as he converted nine of his 10 save opportunities.
Among 85 pitchers who threw at least 50 innings in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League last year, Stebens notably ranked eighth in ERA, 23rd in batting average against, 26th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.55) and strikeout rate (27.4%), and 37th in groundball rate (42.4%), per FanGraphs.
Following the conclusion of the minor league season, Stebens was one of eight Red Sox prospects who made the trek out west to play in the Arizona Fall League. The 6-foot, 194-pound hurler appeared in eight games out of the bullpen for the Salt River Rafters, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits, six walks, and seven strikeouts over seven additional innings of work. Stuff-wise, he featured a sinker, a cutter, a curveball, and a 92-95 mph four-seam fastball.
Stebens, who does not turn 25 until December, was projected to open the 2026 campaign with Double-A Portland, where he would be tasked with facing upper-minors competition for the first time in his career. That challenge will have to wait, as he will now be sidelined and focused on rehab for the foreseeable future.
(Picture of Isaac Stebens: Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
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