Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | BAL | LHP | 20 | 40 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | SL | CH | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 40 | 40 | 55/45 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Jason Kamlowsky
Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 235 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2017 Draft - Round CBB
RuleV: Eligible
Physical Description: Thick, unathletic build. Broad shoulders but heavy through the midsection. Lower body is well developed. Not much more room for projection. Weight could be a blessing or a curse: Has the body of a durable starter but could get away from him without proper maintenance. Mid-section will need to be area of focus.
Delivery & Mechanics: Low-maintenance, repeatable delivery. 3/4 arm slot with a whippy arm motion. Calm mound presence. Starts on the third base side of the rubber. Slight rocker step with the hands staying at the chest through the balance point. High leg kick that extends straight down to his plant foot. Gets good drive to the plate in his lower body. Hips get through the throwing zone well. Arm can lag at times causing pitches to sail.
Fastball: 88-91 MPH. Relies more on movement and deception than velocity. Above average spin rates makes ball appear to jump out of his hand. Consistently around the plate. Moves the fastball around the zone with confidence. Throws black to black with authority. At his best when throwing down in the zone but not afraid to throw to upper third and change eye levels. Command of the fastball is already above average. Grade: 45
Curveball: Slow and loopy 73-77 MPH. Really tough on lefties. Will throw in any count. Drops it into the zone at will. Can generate swings and misses because of above average command. When thrown to the bottom third, can be an above average offering. Grade: 50
Slider: 78-82 MPH. Thrown slightly harder than the curveball with different tilt. Used more as a chase pitch than one that gets dropped in for a strike. Not quite as effective as the curveball but can be used as a weapon against righties or lefties. Grade: 40
Changeup: 83-85 MPH work in progress. Has enough separation off the fastball to be effective. Command of his changeup lags far behind the fastball. More of a show-me pitch but could flash average with work. Grade: 40
Control and Command: Polished for his age and doesn't get rattled. Knows how to set up hitters and induces a lot of soft contact. Command of the fastball has flashed plus. Has confidence to throw it in any situation despite lack of velocity. Command of the secondaries lacks consistency. Will need to show the ability to throw his curveball and slider more consistently in the zone to hit his ceiling. High baseball IQ and knows how to pitch. Control: 55 | Command: 45
Overall: What Lowther lacks in premium velocity, he makes up for with a four-pitch mix that has allowed him to have success as he's advanced through the Orioles system. His strikeout numbers are a testament to the spin rate on his fastball and his ability to move the ball around the zone. Lowther is an interesting prospect for a couple of reasons. He already has an advanced feel for how to pitch but due to his law of plus stuff, his margin for error against big league hitters will be considerably smaller. You have to admire a guy who gets the most out of his talent and that is exactly what Lowther is going to do. He may never be more than a back-of-the-rotation starter or swingman, but he likely will become a valuable member of the Orioles staff in the near future.
OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: Moderate
