Drafted in the 12th round (357th overall) by the New York Mets in 2002.
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3B Shawn Bowman shows good actions at third, has a good arm and swings the bat well.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
Loaded with tools, Bowman lacks the game experience of many of his peers because he grew up in Canada, where the weather isn't conducive to year-round play. He signed shortly after batting .395 with a team-best four homers for Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championship, but hasn't approached that success as a pro. He's still raw and struck out 110 times last year, even though his season ended in late July when he fractured a bone in his lower back. Bowman has above-average raw power, but he swings and misses too much. His pitch recognition isn't strong and he's too pull-conscious. He did encourage the Mets by showing improvement before he got hurt, hitting .291 with 13 homers after June 1. Already an exceptional defender, Bowman has quick reactions, soft hands and a plus arm. Bowman likely will start this year back in high Class A to work on his offensive approach. While he's blocked at third base by David Wright, it's too early to consider moving Bowman to another position considering his proficiency at third.
When Bowman was hitting .187 in his 2003 pro debut, the Mets remained confident he was a prospect. He repaid that faith with a solid 2004 season. One of the system's hardest workers, he trains during the winter at the club's Dominican academy, where his fluent Spanish comes in handy. Bowman began to hit once he fixed mechanical problems with his swing and got more balanced in his stance. He showed the consistency at the plate the Mets envisioned when he hit .395 with a team-best four homers for Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championship. He's an above-average third baseman, with a plus arm and good lateral movement. Bowman still strikes out too much, largely because his pitch recognition needs work. He'll gear up for a fastball and get fooled easily by breaking stuff. Bowman is ready for high Class A. David Wright seemingly has third base to himself with the Mets, but there are no immediate plans to play Bowman at a different position because he's above-average at third base.
That .187 batting average isn't a misprint. But despite his tough pro debut, the Mets still say Bowman has a chance to be a major league third baseman. He had mechanical problems in 2003, getting off balance because he was leaning too far toward the plate. After a couple of tweaks to his stance, Bowman was hitting the ball well again in instructional league. He batted .395 with a team-high four homers for Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championship, and there was debate as to whether he or Adam Loewen (now Baltimore's top prospect as a lefthander) was the club's top hitter. New York expects Bowman to develop into a solid power hitter despite his complete lack of power production in 2003. He has soft hands, an above-average arm and good body control at third base. Bowman obviously has a long way to go, but the Mets wouldn't be surprised if he has a breakout season at Brooklyn in 2004.
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive 3B in the Eastern League in 2009
Rated Best Infield Arm in the New York Mets in 2009
Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the New York Mets in 2005
Rated Best Infield Arm in the South Atlantic League in 2004
Rated Best Defensive 3B in the South Atlantic League in 2004
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