Travis Bowyer Stats & Scouting Report

IP	9
ERA	6
WHIP	1.444
BB/9	3
SO/9	12

Full name Travis Charlton Bowyer
Born 08/03/1981 in Lynchburg, VA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Liberty
Debut 09/10/2005
Drafted in the 20th round (599th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 1999.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

When the Marlins jettisoned Luis Castillo to Minnesota, they received righthanders Bowyer and Scott Tyler in exchange. A former 20th-rounder who fought his way onto the roster after the 2004 season, Bowyer saw his profile rise markedly in 2005 with a strong year in Triple-A. He made the Futures Game, earned a September callup and was assigned to the Arizona Fall League. In both the majors and the AFL, Bowyer got hit hard. He has the biggest fastball in the system, pitching at 95-97 mph and touching 100 in Arizona. His fastball has late life and boring action, though too often it's the only pitch he can command. His frame is strong and durable, which bodes well for nightly relief work. He shows a good work ethic and has a quiet, low-maintenance personality. However, as Bowyer's fastball has improved, jumping from 86-87 mph back in 1999, his secondary pitches have suffered. That's especially true of his changeup, which has all but disappeared. He has a slurvy breaking ball he throws at 85-87 mph but it's not a finished product. If he doesn't stage a breakthrough with a secondary pitch, Bowyer could soon hit a development wall. But given the Marlins' needs at the big league level, he also could emerge as their closer in 2006.
Three years into his career, Bowyer wasn't considered much of a prospect. He was floundering in Rookie ball with mediocre stuff. But a rigorous offseason of conditioning created a thick, 225-pound frame--he weighed 180 pounds when he was drafted--and he came into last spring with added velocity. A move to the bullpen helped him maintain it and his stock began to soar. Mostly an upper-80s pitcher in the past, Bowyer reached as high as 96 mph. His fastball is heavy, and his changeup is becoming a dependable second pitch. His breaking ball is a work in progress and could determine his ultimate role. He was moved back to the rotation near the end of last season and continued to start in instructional league. He'll be promoted to pitcher-friendly Fort Myers this year.