Levi Stoudt used to sit in the stands at Coca-Cola Park and Reading’s FirstEnergy Stadium, dreaming about one day pitching for the teams he was watching, writes Tom Housenick for The Reporter.
Now he’s doing exactly that, and it might be his ticket back to the majors.
The 28-year-old right-hander, born in Pottstown and raised in nearby Pennsburg, signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies over the winter after being released by the Baltimore Orioles organization last summer.
It’s turned into the best stretch of his six-year professional career and a homecoming he calls a dream come true.
A Childhood Dream Realized
Stoudt grew up rooting for the Phillies, and his path through their farm system has put him just 17 miles from Coca-Cola Park, practically in his backyard.
He’s even crossed paths with a familiar face in the clubhouse. As a kid, Stoudt once met Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford at an IronPigs game.
He joked that he tried to play it cool when the two became teammates this year, and admitted he never told Crawford about that earlier encounter.
The numbers back up the storybook feel. Stoudt has not allowed an earned run in 22 2/3 innings across Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season.
He posted 10 scoreless appearances and an 11 2/3-inning streak with Reading before earning a May call-up to Lehigh Valley, where he’s continued to dominate out of the bullpen.
IronPigs manager Chris Adamson has praised his growth, saying it’s been “really cool to see him grow” as Stoudt has gotten ahead in counts and missed bats.
Living the Slider Life
That run was briefly interrupted when Stoudt landed on the seven-day injured list with right elbow soreness. He believes the discomfort is tied to his increased reliance on his slider, now a key weapon in a more aggressive approach against hitters.
Stoudt said the new pitch mix puts extra strain on the elbow, but called the issue minor and said he expects to return stronger after some rest.
Working on the Mental Game
Stoudt has also credited a renewed focus on the mental side of the game for his turnaround.
After bouncing around four organizations in five years and getting released by the Orioles last season, he began working with sports psychologists to manage the ups and downs of minor league life.
He said he used to let bad outings affect his next start, but has learned to keep each game in perspective, in his words, “that’s just one game, and that really has no effect on my next outing.”
Eyeing a Return to the Majors
A 2019 third-round pick by Seattle out of Lehigh University, Stoudt reached the majors with Cincinnati in 2023, appearing in four games before injuries, trades, and inconsistent results stalled his progress.
He’s a graduate of the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg and started 34 games over three seasons at Lehigh, posting a 2.97 ERA.
Now pitching for the team he grew up watching, Stoudt has positioned himself as a potential bullpen depth option for the Phillies if he returns healthy and keeps producing at Triple-A.
His path back to the majors is still uncertain, but for a Montgomery County native living out a childhood dream just down the road from home, 2026 has given him every reason to believe his big league story isn’t over.
Learn more about Levi Stroudt’s journey through the Big Leagues and the Minors in The Reporter.
