Drafted in the 19th round (572nd overall) by the Houston Astros in 2008.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
Jason Castro and Jordan Lyles headline a 2008 draft that restocked a thin Astros system, but Houston also may have found a sleeper in the 19th round in Mowdy. Signed for $35,000, he owns the system's best breaking ball, a plus curveball that grades as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale at times. He can throw his curve for a strike or use it as a knockout pitch to get batters to swing and miss. Mowdy has an 89-91 mph fastball, and the Astros have tried to add a two-seamer to his repertoire to get more sink on his heater. He has a changeup, though it's mostly a show pitch and isn't as needed as much as it would be if he were a starter. After pitching well in Lexington's bullpen, he struggled after a promotion to the hitter-friendly California League in July. If he can make the necessary adjustments when he returns to high Class A this year, he could put himself in position to challenge for a job in Houston's bullpen by 2012.
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Rated Best Curveball in the Houston Astros in 2010
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