The Art of Reinvention: Why Seth Stephenson refuses to settle

Seth Stephenson shuffled out to the dugout, decked out in a hoodie, energy drink in hand.

It was about 9:30 am, early by baseball standards, and Stephenson was admittedly still waking up, but if you know Seth, you know the energy level never really goes away.

He took a seat, looked over with a little spark in his eye, and grinned.

“Let’s talk swing,” he said.

Following a 14-game introduction to the Midwest League in 2023, Stephenson, 24, is back with West Michigan for his second full season, and with his return, an opportunity to expand his resume beyond that of his elite speed.

Stephenson admits he didn’t have what he views as a true offseason. The Tennessee alum underwent a surgical procedure on his foot to repair a nagging issue, which prevented him from doing any true swing work until early to mid-January.

“I had the setback with my foot, and then even another setback in spring training with running into the wall,” Stephenson said. “I think I’ve had to make more adjustments this year than normal, because I didn’t have that period of three to four months where I was grinding on the swing and on the mechanical part of certain things.

“I feel like when I came back, I kind of picked up where I left off last year, and I did not want to be in that same position, even though I did finish the year strong,” Stephenson said. “I just feel like I have more potential than that. So, I have been making adjustments, and I did make a few mechanical adjustments early on in the year. Mainly, it’s just small tweaks here and there. I’m never going to be one to keep doing something that’s not working, I think that’s crazy.”

Stephenson is known around the Midwest League now. His speed garnered a combined 130 stolen bases from 2023-2024, a Florida State League and Midwest League best. With Stephenson’s reputation comes a revision to how pitchers are handling their strategy, and it’s not lost on the Texas native.

“I’m adjusting with the game and how guys are pitching you,” Stephenson said. “I think the main part is just understanding how they’re pitching you and how they’re throwing, and not only what they’re throwing, but what I do best. So, I try to tell myself that I either try and pick out what I do best or what he does most. I think those are some of the biggest adjustments so far.”

From a swing perspective, it’s been a combination of things. Mentally, Stephenson had to steer himself away from the belief that every at-bat could result in a home run. This stemmed from both acknowledging and embracing his physical build. Once he reached that conclusion, it changed to discovering how to fully maximize what that build had to offer.

“I think the biggest thing was I would load my hands back,” Stephenson said. “It’s like a loading or timing mechanism, and I got rid of my hand load. I would keep my hands closer to my body, and they were also lower, down by my chest. Now I keep them higher and don’t load them back, and they’ll just naturally push back. I found the hand load in 2023, and it helped me have a really, really good second half.

“I feel like I held onto that for a long time when it wasn’t there. So, I got rid of that, and I got in my legs more. To sum it up, I added a little bend in my knees, and I try and use the ground better, and I think that’s helped me hit the ball harder,” Stephenson said. “I’m not trying to hit home runs or anything, but when I’m using the ground better and I’m in my legs, then I give the ball a chance to do something. The biggest thing is not even mechanically, it’s just expecting success versus hoping for it.”

Standing at 5’9, Stephenson has learned the value of being – how he puts it, “in his legs.” His speed has been his carrying tool since long before his professional career, but as time has passed, Stephenson has learned to play off his lower half for more than just stolen bases, a mentality he credits to endless conversations with teammate, Kevin McGonigle.

“When I’m in my legs more, I think about staying at that level now,” Stephenson said. “Before, when I was up taller, I would stay tall. Now I am a little lower in my legs, and I try to stay low. I still have issues that I’m trying to work out. I’ll come up for the high pitch or I’ll come out of my legs, but when I truly stay in my legs throughout the entire swing, and they’re staying at that height, then I use the ground really well. I can generate a lot of force. I run really fast, so I’m like, there’s got to be a way to where I can maximize that.

“I watch (Kevin) McGonigle hit, and he’s not much bigger than me, and I’m like, man, he uses his lower half so well,” Stephenson said. “I’ve always used my lower half well. Growing up, I was always in my legs, so I kind of just almost reverted back to my swing as a kid. That’s the main thing I feel. I feel like my true, athletic self in the box again.”

The revisions haven’t been seamless, and Stephenson knows the process will take time.

In May, Stephenson slashed .236/.317/.315 with a .632 OPS. The following month, Stephenson’s numbers grew to .338/.434/.508 with a .942 OPS.

“You can see what he’s working on,’ an American League scout said. “You have to respect the guys who make themselves impossible to ignore. For Stephenson, the speed has always been there, but this is a guy who is determined to get better, no matter what he has to do. A lot to like about that makeup.”

Stephenson understands the value his speed brings to the table, but the desire to expand his versatility is simply acknowledging that baseball will always require you to go a step further, if you want to stand out.

“I definitely revolve my game around the speed,” Stephenson said. “They say speed doesn’t slump, and the good thing about speed is you always have a chance. There are a lot of ways to help the team win. You don’t have to hit doubles and triples, you can run, make a play in the outfield when you’re 0-for, and keep the game alive. It’s definitely my biggest blessing in this game.

This catch is pure magic 🪄

Seth Stephenson (@Tigers) denies the Harry Potter-themed Captains a homer for the @wmwhitecaps 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Fq7DeuXBYN

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 28, 2025

“I think whenever the opportunity to run is there, I trust the coaches, and we have a game plan going into it,” Stephenson said. “When it’s there, I take it, and when it’s not, I don’t. I would love more opportunities to be there, trust me, but the run is more important than the stolen base. We have a team of guys that can just mash, so that’s also something you take into consideration. If (Kevin) McGonigle is hitting behind me and I’m on first base, he hooks a ball down the line, I’m scoring. You know what I mean?”

Amidst the ebb and flow of it all, the progress encourages Stephenson.

He’s been on this mission his entire career. Motivated to prove he deserves his place, despite the expectations of those around him. There is a version of Seth Stephenson that he believes is attainable, and these mechanical adjustments, albeit minor, are just bringing him one step closer to it.

“I know that’s the player I am, and I know that’s the player I’ve always been,” Stephenson said. “I just want to keep proving it to everyone all the time. I’ve been the underdog my whole life, and I’ve always been undersized, so I’ve always played with a chip on my shoulder. I think that’s just what I’ll always do as long as I’m playing.”