Ben Bowden

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #17 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, including winning a national title in 2014, Bowden pitched his way to the doorstep of the big leagues leading up to 2020. The shortened season, plus minor back and shoulder injuries, kept him from debuting, but he spent the year at the alternate training site and was a member of the Rockies' taxi squad for their last road trip.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden mainly relies on the two-pitch mix of his fastball and changeup. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and can reach as high as 97 mph. He pairs his heater with a plus changeup in the low 80s that he uses effectively against both righties and lefties. Bowden has a slider he can mix in, but it is decidedly his third pitch. Bowden is still working to be consistent with his fastball command and is sharpening his feel for how to best mix his pitches. He has consistently dominated lefthanded batters but has been hit-or-miss against righties.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bowden appears ready to compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen in 2021. He should settle into a middle relief role.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #12 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The closer for Vanderbilt's national championship team in 2016, Bowden has put together back-to-back impact seasons since missing his first potential full season, 2017, with hamstring and back injuries. He rose to Double-A Hartford in 2019 and set the Yard Goats record for saves (20) and ERA (1.05) in the first half alone before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he stayed strong pitching through difficult conditions. Bowden has struck out over 34 percent of hitters over the course of his pro career but has also battled control issues.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden's fastball, which he uses primarily up and away from hitters, sits 92-94 mph and reaches 97 from the left side. He backs up his heater with a plus, low 80s changeup which generates a high number of swings and misses from both lefties and righties. Bowden had lived largely on that two-pitch mix in the past but in 2019 significantly tightened his three-quarter breaking slurve and began generating a higher number of in-zone swings and misses with the pitch, particularly from lefthanders. Bowden struggles with his quality and intent in and out of the zone and needs to be more pitch-efficient, but the Rockies feel he took positive steps forward in 2019. Bowden is an excellent competitor with the stuff and mentality to be a late-inning reliever.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a two-pitch mix and an ability to neutralize lefthanded hitters, Bowden is perfectly suited for relief role. There's still some seasoning to go, but he should make his big league debut in 2020
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #17 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After missing 2017 because of a hamstring strain and then a back strain, which he suffered helping a passenger place a bag in the overhead compartment on a plane, Bowden enjoyed a full-season return. He split 2018 between low Class A Asheville and high Class A Lancaster. The 45th player selected in 2016, Bowden was the closer on Vanderbilt's national championship team that year.
  
  Scouting Report: Bowden has a closer's mentality. He comes at hitters with a fastball in the 93-95 mph range and a decent changeup that keeps hitters off balance. At the Class A level, his command was evident. He walked 20 and struck out 78 in 52 innings, basically using a two-pitch mix. Bowden is working on a breaking ball but needs to firm up a what so far has been more of a slurve. If he can create more consistency with that pitch it would add a swing-and-miss pitch to his mix.
  
  The Future: With a third pitch, Bowden has closer potential. Without a third pitch, he provides a power lefthander to handle late innings. He is an intimidating figure on the mound and doesn't back down from difficult situations.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #20 prospect in 2018
  Bowden missed the entire 2017 season with a pair of injuries, one traditional and one unusual. First, he suffered a severe hamstring strain in spring training that shelved him early on. Later, while helping an elderly lady put her bag into an overhead bin on airplane, he suffered a bulging disc in his back. Bowden, who signed for $1.6 million as the 45th overall pick in 2016, was the closer for Vanderbilt's College World Series championship team in 2014. During his lone pro stint after signing in 2016, he showed that same closer's mentality, aggressively going after hitters with power stuff from the left side. Bowden's stands an imposing 6-foot-4, 235 pounds and features a power fastball that sits 93-95 mph with late life and downward plane. It can top out at 97. He shows promise with a changeup that has tumbling action as his main secondary. He also throws a slurvy breaking ball that varies between a curveball and slider, and that will be a focal point of his development moving forward. Bowden has the stuff and pedigree to move quickly as a bullpen arm but has to show he's healthy.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #23 prospect in 2017
  Bowden starred as a Vanderbilt reliever in 2015 and 2016 and was co-MVP of the Cape Cod League in 2015. The Rockies drafted him 45th overall in 2016 and signed him for $1.6 million. Bowden has shown he can handle a bullpen job, but the Rockies are deciding whether to stretch out the well-built lefthander and see how his pitch mix works as starter. Bowden started his junior season at Vandy but moved back into the pen quickly. He hasn't been stretched out since high school but held up over 96.1 innings for the Commodores followed by 23.2 innings in his pro debut at low Class A Asheville. Bowden's fastball sits in the low 90s and hits 95 mph at times, with late life and a steep downhill plane. He showed a solid slider during instructional league and has the makings of a changeup. He has an easy motion despite his solid build, but he the Rockies don't know how his fastball will play if he has to pace himself as a starter. His future role will be determined in spring training, as well as whether he will return to Asheville or move to high Class A Lancaster in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #75 prospect in 2016 draft
  Well-built, physically-imposing lefthanders don't exactly grow on trees, and there aren't too many of them out there with the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Bowden's deep track record and potent three-pitch repertoire. Coming from Massachusetts, Bowden lacked experience before getting Vanderbilt, and when he joined the Commodores, his entire arsenal made quick progress. At the 2012 East Coast Pro Showcase, Bowden's fastball sat in the mid-80s and he mixed in a soft curveball at 69-71. He progressed that spring, reaching into the low 90s. At Vanderbilt, Bowden pitched sparingly as a freshman before establishing himself as key piece of the Commodores' bullpen as a sophomore. Now, his fastball sits at 93-94 and he shows promise with his changeup and slider, with some scouts grading his slider as a plus pitch. Bowden began this season in Vanderbilt's weekend rotation, but his stuff was not as sharp in that role, with his heater checking in at 90-92, though evaluators aren't sure whether that was a result of him not being able to handle a starter's workload or if he simply wasn't in mid-season form yet. He has a wrap in the back of his arm action but throws strikes consistently. The team that takes Bowden will likely try to develop him as a starter.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, including winning a national title in 2014, Bowden pitched his way to the doorstep of the big leagues leading up to 2020. The shortened season, plus minor back and shoulder injuries, kept him from debuting, but he spent the year at the alternate training site and was a member of the Rockies' taxi squad for their last road trip.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden mainly relies on the two-pitch mix of his fastball and changeup. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and can reach as high as 97 mph. He pairs his heater with a plus changeup in the low 80s that he uses effectively against both righties and lefties. Bowden has a slider he can mix in, but it is decidedly his third pitch. Bowden is still working to be consistent with his fastball command and is sharpening his feel for how to best mix his pitches. He has consistently dominated lefthanded batters but has been hit-or-miss against righties.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bowden appears ready to compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen in 2021. He should settle into a middle relief role.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, including winning a national title in 2014, Bowden pitched his way to the doorstep of the big leagues leading up to 2020. The shortened season, plus minor back and shoulder injuries, kept him from debuting, but he spent the year at the alternate training site and was a member of the Rockies' taxi squad for their last road trip.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden mainly relies on the two-pitch mix of his fastball and changeup. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and can reach as high as 97 mph. He pairs his heater with a plus changeup in the low 80s that he uses effectively against both righties and lefties. Bowden has a slider he can mix in, but it is decidedly his third pitch. Bowden is still working to be consistent with his fastball command and is sharpening his feel for how to best mix his pitches. He has consistently dominated lefthanded batters but has been hit-or-miss against righties.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bowden appears ready to compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen in 2021. He should settle into a middle relief role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, including winning a national title in 2014, Bowden pitched his way to the doorstep of the big leagues leading up to 2020. The shortened season, plus minor back and shoulder injuries, kept him from debuting, but he spent the year at the alternate training site and was a member of the Rockies' taxi squad for their last road trip.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden mainly relies on the two-pitch mix of his fastball and changeup. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and can reach as high as 97 mph. He pairs his heater with a plus changeup in the low 80s that he uses effectively against both righties and lefties. Bowden has a slider he can mix in, but it is decidedly his third pitch. Bowden is still working to be consistent with his fastball command and is sharpening his feel for how to best mix his pitches. He has consistently dominated lefthanded batters but has been hit-or-miss against righties.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bowden appears ready to compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen in 2021. He should settle into a middle relief role.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The closer for Vanderbilt’s national championship team in 2016, Bowden has put together back-to-back impact seasons since missing his first potential full season, 2017, with hamstring and back injuries. He rose to Double-A Hartford in 2019 and set the Yard Goats record for saves (20) and ERA (1.05) in the first half alone before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he stayed strong pitching through difficult conditions. Bowden has struck out over 34 percent of hitters over the course of his pro career but has also battled control issues.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden’s fastball, which he uses primarily up and away from hitters, sits 92-94 mph BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 55 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium and reaches 97 from the left side. He backs up his heater with a plus, low 80s changeup which generates a high number of swings and misses from both lefties and righties. Bowden had lived largely on that two-pitch mix in the past but in 2019 significantly tightened his three-quarter breaking slurve and began generating a higher number of in-zone swings and misses with the pitch, particularly from lefthanders. Bowden struggles with his quality and intent in and out of the zone and needs to be more pitch-efficient, but the Rockies feel he took positive steps forward in 2019. Bowden is an excellent competitor with the stuff and mentality to be a late-inning reliever. FUTURE: With a two-pitch mix and an ability to neutralize lefthanded hitters, Bowden is perfectly suited for relief role. There’s still some seasoning to go, but he should make his big league debut in 2020
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The closer for Vanderbilt's national championship team in 2016, Bowden has put together back-to-back impact seasons since missing his first potential full season, 2017, with hamstring and back injuries. He rose to Double-A Hartford in 2019 and set the Yard Goats record for saves (20) and ERA (1.05) in the first half alone before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he stayed strong pitching through difficult conditions. Bowden has struck out over 34 percent of hitters over the course of his pro career but has also battled control issues.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden's fastball, which he uses primarily up and away from hitters, sits 92-94 mph and reaches 97 from the left side. He backs up his heater with a plus, low 80s changeup which generates a high number of swings and misses from both lefties and righties. Bowden had lived largely on that two-pitch mix in the past but in 2019 significantly tightened his three-quarter breaking slurve and began generating a higher number of in-zone swings and misses with the pitch, particularly from lefthanders. Bowden struggles with his quality and intent in and out of the zone and needs to be more pitch-efficient, but the Rockies feel he took positive steps forward in 2019. Bowden is an excellent competitor with the stuff and mentality to be a late-inning reliever.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a two-pitch mix and an ability to neutralize lefthanded hitters, Bowden is perfectly suited for relief role. There's still some seasoning to go, but he should make his big league debut in 2020