Ben Bowden

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.