Adam Loewen Stats & Scouting Report

IP	189
ERA	5.857
WHIP	1.688
BB/9	6.143
SO/9	7.571

Full name Adam Alexander Loewen
Born 04/09/1984 in Vancouver, BC, Canada
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 245 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Chipola Junior College
Debut 05/23/2006
Drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2002 (signed for $3,200,000).

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Loewen has been known in Canadian scouting circles since 1996, when as a 6-foot-4, 180-pound 12-year-old he led his British Columbia entry to the Canadian Little League championship and a spot in the Little League World Series. The Arizona State signee has become bigger and stronger and now projects to be the highest-drafted Canadian ever--possibly even No. 1 overall. The Pirates travelled to Canada over Memorial Day weekend to take one last look at him. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound lefthander has silky smooth mechanics, a fluid, effortless arm action with good extension and a calm mound presence. His fastball sits between 90-94 mph with late movement, and he complements it with a nasty 76-78 mph, 12-to-6 curveball with command and an average changeup. Loewen is also an accomplished hitter with a sweet lefthanded stroke and power potential. He was used in the outfield and at DH during the 2000 World Junior Championship, and he hit third in the lineup for Canada's junior national team during a spring trip to Florida. Loewen's velocity was down the first time he pitched in Florida, and he touched just 87-90 mph in front of hoard of scouts. He redeemed himself in his next game, averaging 92-93 mph. He threw a no-hitter last summer against the Pirates' Dominican Summer League team while pitching for Team Canada and was almost unhittable throughout the tour. He didn't allow a run and gave up just three hits in 16 innings while striking out 33 batters.

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Loewen's $3.2 million bonus and $4.02 million big league contract were the biggest deals ever given to an amateur by the Orioles. He was ineffective in 2004 and came down with a small tear in his labrum, which he rehabilitated without surgery. He was inconsistent in 2005 but came on strong late in the summer and led the Arizona Fall League with a 1.67 ERA. Loewen has the stuff to pitch at the front of a big league rotation, with a 92-93 mph fastball that touches 94 with life and finish down in the zone. His curveball is also a plus pitch. He was dominant at times late in the season as his pitches and command came together. Mechanical problems have caused Loewen to struggle with his control, but he made improvements with high Class A Frederick pitching coach Scott McGregor. His changeup is still a step down from his fastball and curveball, and his curve is inconsistent. Loewen got better by working harder and improving his concentration. His contract means he has to stick in the big leagues by 2007, which is realistic if he continues the progress he made late last season. He'll open 2006 in Double-A.
The highest-drafted Canadian ever, Loewen went fourth overall in 2002 and signed for a $3.2 million bonus as part of a $4.02 million big league deal. But Loewen was too ineffective to be considered for Canada's 2004 Olympic team, and at the end of the year was diagnosed with a torn labrum. When he's healthy and on his game, Loewen has dominant stuff. He's effectively wild in the strike zone with a 90-92 mph fastball that reaches 95, and a curveball that's a knockout pitch. He's a good athlete with fluid mechanics that give him good deception. The major concern is Loewen's shoulder, though he didn't require surgery and completed a throwing program in October. His first full season was marred by inconsistent mechanics, a loss of command and the loss of faith in his stuff. The Orioles consider all of that correctable. His changeup lags behind his fastball and curve. Loewen's contract guaranteed him a spot in big league spring training in 2004, and he never seemed to recover after getting knocked around. He'll seek a fresh start in high Class A in 2005.
As significant as free agents Miguel Tejada and Javy Lopez were to the major league team, the signing of Loewen was just as important for the farm system. It provided a true impact player to an organization that sorely needed one. It also showed the team's new administration was willing to move boldly to bring in talent. The Orioles took Loewen fourth overall in 2002, making him the highest-drafted Canadian ever, but tried to lowball him in negotiations. With the Orioles' offer at $2.5 million and Loewen standing on a demand of $4 million, he enrolled at Chipola (Fla.) JC, becoming the earliest pick to take the draft-and-follow route in draft history. The Orioles signed him minutes before they would have lost his rights. He received a major league contract with a $3.2 million bonus and a guaranteed value of $4.02 million. It was clear at an early age that Loewen was special. He led a team from British Columbia to the 1996 Little League World Series, handed Korea its only loss at the 2000 World Junior Championship and no-hit the Pirates' Rookie-level Dominican Summer League team during a Team Canada tour in 2001. The Orioles played it safe with Loewen after he signed, giving him just seven starts, none more than five innings, and shutting him down in August. With two plus pitches and the possibility of two more, Loewen has legitimate No. 1 starter potential. His fastball usually ranges from 90-95 mph, though it was a bit lower at the end of the season as he tired. His curveball, a big 12-to-6 breaker, is his best pitch. He has a good feel for a changeup and has dabbled with a slider as well. He's athletic with smooth mechanics, effortless arm action and good extension. Loewen would have been drafted early as a power-hitting outfielder if he wasn't such a promising pitcher. His low-key demeanor on the mound earns comparisons to Tom Glavine. The Orioles praise his makeup and maturity as much as his physical ability. Because he needed little other than his fastball and curveball as an amateur, Loewen still needs work on his changeup. His fastball command also can improve, and he's still learning to command his offspeed stuff. He'll have to build up his durability and get accustomed to pitching from February through October. Though they played it safe with Loewen last year, the Orioles expect him to move quickly to the big leagues. He's motivated to get there, calling the team in November to see if he could come to the minor league complex in Sarasota, Fla., to work out. The Orioles told him to wait until January, and after spring training they'll send him to low Class A Delmarva. He'll probably spend half the season there before moving up to high Class A Frederick.

Minor League Top Prospects

Loewen flashed glimpses of his considerable potential toward the end of last season, and he finally put it all together in 2006. He needed just nine outings to establish himself as the EL's best lefthander and finished the year in Baltimore's rotation, where he should remain for years to come. "He's a big, physical pitcher, but this year he was pitching, too," a scout said. "He may have turned the page and figured out not to throw it 95 at the belt and hope it misses a bat." Loewen works off his two- and four-seam fastballs, which range from 90-94 mph. His four-seamer has natural cutting action and good life. He also throws two variations of breaking balls, but his best offspeed offering should be his changeup in the future. It's inconsistent but at times shows late sink and fade, and he's learning to throw it with the same arm speed as his fastball.
Easily the biggest enigma in the CL this season, Loewen is also the pitcher with the most upside. The question remains if he'll ever quite reach his ceiling because he's still searching for command of his pitches after three years as a pro. He led the league in walks. Loewen has all the makings of a power lefty, starting with a mid-90s fastball that he delivers on a steep downward plane and a plus curveball. What he lacks is consistency, both with his delivery and with his arm slot. He struggled early on when he tried to harness his command by pitching too fine, but after midseason he started to trust his mechanics and stuff more. "You just never knew what you were going to get," Rivera said. "He'll go 3-0 on you and then the next thing you know it's boom-boom-boom, every pitch on the black. I've never seen anything like it."