MMs Top 25: #10 RHSP Matthew Bowman

#10 RHSP Matt Bowman (LR: #19)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 175 lb

Age: 24
Acquired: 2012 Rule IV draft, 13th round, Princeton University

2014: (AA/AAA) 10-8, 3.22 ERA, 134.1 IP, 8.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 1.310 WHIP
2013: (A/A+) 10-4, 3.05 ERA, 127.0 IP, 8.2 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 1.150 WHIP
2012: (SS-A) 2-2, 2.45 ERA, 29.1 IP, 9.2 K/9, 0.6 BB/9, 0.955 WHIP

     Every year there is at least one guy who's "comes out of nowhere" to become an impact player for his MLB club. In 2014, it was Jacob deGrom...2013, Juan Lagares....2012, we saw both Kirk Nieuwenheis and Josh Edgin make an impact...so on and so forth. So who will be that guy in 2015? If I were a betting man and you asked me to put all my chips in one basket, I'd recommend jumping on the Matthew Bowman bandwagon.

     Before I even begin to talk about Bowman let me just throw this little nugget out here. Jacob deGrom played most of his college career as a SS and then converted to a SP late. After a few years of development deGrom is now one of the most promising young arms the Mets have. Coincidentally, Matt Bowman ALSO was a college SS who converted to SP during the 2011 season. After a few years of working with Mets coaches he's already staring down and striking out AAA and former MLB batters. Maybe we should just stop drafted SP's and draft all SS's. 

     There's so much to like about an athletic guy who just "knows" how to pitch. Bowman does not have the premium plus stuff that you find from most other top prospects, but, what he does have is 4 average to slightly above average pitches that play up thanks to his "odd" delivery. Well....it's not really all that odd anymore because it's actually an exact replica of NL CY Young Tim Lincecum's delivery. The motion allows him to maximize his smaller frame to produce a fastball velocity of between 91-93 mph with the occasional 94/95mph heater mixed in. It also helps disguise his hard slider which generates a large amount of K's against right handers. 

     The rest of Bowman's arsenal is quite vast; he also carries with him on a regular basis an average change-up, which he uses heavily against left handers and a 2-seam fastball that generates groundballs when he need them. In addition to those "50 grade" offerings, the Ivy Leaguer also carries a pitch in each of his back pockets. While he does not use them frequently, Bowman has also show a big 12-6 curveball that can throw unsuspecting batters off balance and a split finger fastball when a batters refuses to pound his 2-seamer into the ground.

     Bowman has already not only made it to AAA, but, he has also done well there in his short 6 start stint. Everything he has done up to this point reminds me of Jacob deGrom before he broke out last season. Unfortunately, the rotation is so much more crowded than it was last year. If somehow an opportunity does arise for Bowman to showcase his abilities at the MLB level....be prepared to be dazzled.

Ceiling: MLB #4 SP (The middle ground between CY Young and current day Tim Lincecum)

Floor: MLB Flex RP

Anticipated Assignment: (AAA) Las Vegas starting rotation.