Jerry Owens Stats & Scouting Report

AB	393
AVG	.262
OBP	.319
SLG	.305
HR	1

Full name Jerry Lee Owens
Born 02/16/1981 in Hollywood, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School The Master's College
Debut 09/11/2006
Drafted in the 2nd round (57th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2003 (signed for $600,000).

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In an age of sophisticated scouting, Owens is the rare college player who was on no one's radar at the start of the year and has emerged as a possible late first-round pick. For many, he's become the best college prospect on the West Coast. A former wide receiver at UCLA, Owens transferred to The Master's College two years ago--in part to deepen his faith, in part because he didn't want to get hurt playing football (he'd already redshirted one season with a broken foot), and in part because he wanted to resume a baseball career abandoned since high school. He wanted to be a pitcher, but it was apparent his blazing speed would be wasted on the mound. In his first year back, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Owens hit a modest .330, but he turned it up this year, hitting .451-6-31. He also learned how to utilize his speed at the plate and on the bases. He's been timed at 3.85 seconds to first base and stole 30 bases. Primarily a left fielder in college, Owens will land in center field, where his speed will be maximized. He projects along the lines of Kenny Lofton or Tom Goodwin.

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Owens appeared to take a major step forward as a hitter in 2005, winning the Southern League batting title and hitting .356 in Venezuelan winter ball. But general manager Ken Williams was upset when Owens returned early from Venezuela, and the negative tone carried over to 2006. Owens was disappointing in big league game and never got going in Triple-A. He earned a September callup, though only because he's the White Sox' lone true stolen-base threat in the upper minors. A former wide receiver at UCLA who was acquired from the Nationals in a February 2005 trade for Alex Escobar, Owens is a tremendous athlete, but he's going to have to kick his bat back into gear. He's a contact hitter who controls the strike zone, and he knows his role is to get on base so he can use his blazing speed. He struggles to drive the ball, however, and while he has flashes of power, Triple-A pitchers overpowered him too much. He covers plenty of ground in center field, though his arm is below average. Owens faces a critical season of development in Triple-A this year. If he can't make adjustments at the plate, he won't be more than an extra outfielder in the majors.
The White Sox grabbed Alex Escobar in an August 2004 waiver claim and used him to steal Owens from the Nationals in a February 2005 trade. Owens made an immediate impression on Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen in spring training and went on to win the Southern League batting title, reaching base in 37 consecutive games in one stretch. Owens had enough speed to play wide receiver at UCLA before a broken foot caused him to sour on football. He makes solid contact to drive the ball past drawn-in infielders, who must respect his quickness and bunting ability. He handles the bat well, working counts and drawing walks. He profiles in center field. Owens is inexperienced for his age, and he's still learning the nuances of basestealing and defense. He doesn't drive the ball much now but could develop gap power. His arm is fringe average. Owens spent the winter chasing another batting title in Venezuela, where he collected 18 hits in his first 36 at-bats. He'll start 2006 in Triple-A but isn't too far from challenging Brian Anderson for the center-field job.
After catching one pass for nine yards in two injury-plagued seasons as a wide receiver at UCLA, Owens transferred to The Masters College and focused on baseball, which he hadn't played since his sophomore year in high school. He made a name for himself with his blazing speed and won the Golden State Athletic Conference player of the year award in 2003. Owens ran into an outfield wall in his second pro game, injuring his throwing shoulder. He required surgery to repair the shoulder and a pre-existing hernia, ending his debut. He played mostly left field last season to allow his shoulder to heal, but he still profiles as a center fielder. Owens surprised club officials with how advanced he was despite his lack of baseball experience. He knows his game well, making good contact and hitting the ball on the ground to take advantage of his tremendous speed. He needs to improve his bunting and his ability to draw walks, but he's already decent at both skills. Owens never will be a power hitter, though he's strong enough to drive the ball a little more than he has a pro. As fast as he is, he shouldn't have been caught in 13 of his 43 steal attempts last season. He has a below-average arm, but it's playable in center. The Nationals will push Owens because he's already 24, and he could spend the bulk of 2005 in Double-A.
Owens gave up baseball after his sophomore season at Hart High in Newhall, Calif., where he starred as a wide receiver catching passes from childhood friend Kyle Boller, who now starts for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens after going 19th overall in the 2003 NFL draft. Owens spent two injury-plagued years on UCLA's football team before enrolling at The Master's (Calif.) College and returning to the diamond. He initially wanted to pitch, but coaches convinced him that he needed to take advantage of his speed by playing a position. Owens did just that, hitting .451 with 30 stolen bases to win the Golden State Athletic Conference's 2003 player of the year award. He was one of the premier athletes in the 2003 draft, and the Expos considered taking him 20th overall before opting for Chad Cordero. Owens has a lean, wiry physique with sinewy muscles. He can get down the line from the left side of the plate in 3.85-3.95 seconds, and has been clocked as quick as 3.5 seconds on a drag bunt. He projects as an electrifying basestealer in the majors, though he's raw and will need time to develop as a hitter. He lost valuable time last summer when he ran into an outfield wall during his second pro game, missing the rest of the season after minor operations on his throwing shoulder and a pre-existing hernia. Owens has a compact swing, good bat control and a line-drive approach. His bat occasionally drags through the zone and he needs to get his hands more extended. Owens has a below-average arm, but with his range probably will stay in center field. He'll play in low Class A in 2004.