Devon Lowery
| IP | 4 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 11.25 |
| WHIP | 2 |
| BB/9 | 4.5 |
| SO/9 | 13.5 |
- Full name Devon Eugene Lowery
- Born 03/24/1983 in Lincolnton, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School South Point
- Debut 09/05/2008
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Drafted in the 14th round (415th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2001.
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Before 2001, Lowery drew more attention as an outfielder than a pitcher. That changed when he threw 90-92 mph with regularity, becoming North Carolina's top high school prospect. He still has a long way to go as a pitcher, because his mechanics need to be cleaned up and his control and offspeed pitches need more consistency. He starred as an option quarterback and played basketball for South Point High, and he must use his athleticism on the mound.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Lowery's arm strength made him one of North Carolina's top high school quarterbacks in 2001, and he drew interest from several NCAA Division I-A football programs, including Wake Forest. He chose instead to sign with the Royals and is one of the organization's better athletes. His transition to a baseball-only life has been slow as his fastball dropped from 90-94 mph in high school to 86-88 as he became accustomed to professional throwing and conditioning regimens. Lowery's velocity returned midway through 2003, earning him a move to the rotation and a boost in the organizational hierarchy. He kept his heavy, lively fastball down in the zone and used his late-breaking slider as an out pitch in 2004, when he ranked sixth in the Carolina League in strikeouts and eighth in ERA. Lowery shows good arm speed on a changeup that fades away from lefthanders and displays an outstanding delivery overall. His velocity began to dip late in the season as he reached a career high in innings for the second straight year, so he skipped instructional league. Lowery will focus on keeping his strength and stamina over an entire season in the Double-A rotation in 2005. He profiles as an innings-eating No. 4 starter. -
One of North Carolina's top high school quarterbacks in 2001, Lowery was recruited by Wake Forest and other NCAA Division I football programs. He settled on playing baseball, however, and is one of the best athletes in the system. Lowery spent most of his career in the bullpen before moving to the rotation last July. He added strength after the 2002 season, boosting his fastball 3-4 mph to 94. It has good life, especially when he keeps it down in the zone. Lowery throws his late-breaking slider for strikes against righthanders and uses a fading changeup against lefties. He's a smart pitcher who retains coaching well, and he shows a good feel for working hitters. He wore down last year after setting a career high in innings but should have enough stamina once he gets used to being a starter. Lowery impressed the Royals so much that he almost received a late promotion to high Class A when Wilmington needed an extra pitcher. Lowery will start 2004 there to continue developing his repertoire. He might return to the bullpen because he has a knack for getting groundballs and his secondary pitches might come up a little short at the major league level.
