Tyler Robert Stephenson is a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. In the 2015 MLB Draft, the Reds selected him 11th overall in the first round.
Stephenson, who was born in Atlanta and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia, played baseball for Kennesaw Mountain High School and began calling pitches during his freshman season.
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Stephenson was chosen out of high school by the Reds, and he chose to skip his college baseball commitment in order to start his professional career in their farm system.
Stephenson sustained major injuries in successive minor league seasons in 2016 and 2017, but he was healthy for the next two years and won accolades as a defensive catcher from Southern League managers.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stephenson spent the most of the 2020 season in a different training facility rather than playing in Triple-A.
He made his major league debut that year, hitting a home run in his first plate appearance, although he was only utilized sparingly because the Reds had two catchers.
Stephenson became Tucker Barnhart’s backup catcher after Curt Casali left the organization prior to the 2021 season, and he also saw action as a pinch hitter.
After the 2021 season, Barnhart was moved, allowing Stephenson to take over as the Reds’ starting catcher in 2022.
How Much Does Tyler Stephenson Make?
Tyler Stephenson makes an annual average salary of $720,000.