Colton Cowser is heating up, folks.
The Sam Houston State outfielder is tapping into more in-game power as the 2021 season progresses, and it's paying off at just the right time. Cowser is batting .576 (16-for-37) over his last nine games with five homers and 14 RBIs. He's slashing .351/.486/.730 over 31 games with 12 homers, four doubles and one triple.
Cowser suffered through some minor hiccups during the early portion of the year, but those struggles seem to have vanished after his torrid offensive stretch dating back to mid-March.
In a class lacking top-tier college hitters, Cowser is quickly separating himself from the pack with his blend of raw power and speed. His opposite field blast against New Orleans capped-off an impressive stretch, where he was named Southland Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season.
Cowser showed glimpses of intriguing power as a freshman for the Bearkats in 2019, posting seven homers and a .602 slugging percentage in 54 games. He’s grown and packed on more size to his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame as a junior, and the tools are starting to pop more consistently.
His balanced left-handed swing produces hard contact to all fields. He’s showcased a polished approach at the plate with loose hands and twitchy bat speed. The subtle right leg kick within his load helps him create more loft and barrel balls for extra bases.
While the power numbers fluctuated before Cowser caught fire, his plate discipline has stayed consistent all year. He’s posting a 16.9% strikeout rate while walking 17.6% percent of his at-bats. Cowser’s drawn 26 walks to just 23 strikeouts, and he’s pounced on hitter-friendly counts with glimpses of all-fields power.
Cowser runs well for his size with long strides and good acceleration out of the box. He’s swiped nine bags on the year and has remained a consistent base-stealing producer at the college level. His speed translates to center field with solid range, and he could very well stick in center long term.
Questions still remain about how much Cowser can produce at the next level. He remains a bit of an enigma for the 2021 class with his array of tools, but the lack of competition at the Southland Conference may hold him back at points.
Cowser is silencing the critics with his blistering production this month. There may not be a player hotter in college baseball at the moment. If he consistently displays that same in-game power, there’s a good chance he’s selected in the first round.