Billy Rowell Stats & Scouting Report

Full name William A Rowell
Born 09/10/1988 in Sewell, NJ
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Bishop Eustace Prep
Drafted in the 1st round (9th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2006 (signed for $2,100,000).

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Rowell models his game and his approach after that of Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, and like Bonds his best tool is his power. Rowell's raw power rates as a legitimate 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale (well above-average), and he does not have to muscle up to hit the ball a mile--he has a loose, fluid swing without a lot of moving parts. The lefthanded-hitting Rowell used to model his stance after Bonds, with his hands low and over the plate, but this year he's raised his hands and done a better job spreading out at the plate, achieving more balance. He also has learned to hit the ball with power to the gaps instead of trying to yank everything. The only question about Rowell offensively is how well his enormous batting practice power translates to top game competition, but he has played well in some elite showcase events. Rowell's hands are good enough for shortstop and his arm is above-average, but his range is fringy and he'll probably outgrow the position. Some scouts see him at third base down the line, and some see him as a corner outfielder, but no one doubts that he'll hit enough for a corner.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Rowell was the first high school hitter selected in the 2006 draft, but he has struggled to fulfill expectations since signing for $2.1 million as the ninth overall pick. His average has gotten progressively worse each season, dipping to .225 when he repeated high Class A last season. Rowell has consistently been one of the youngest players in each league he has played in, and he has compounded his youth with immaturity. The Orioles would make recommendations on his swing, stance and bat path, but he always would revert to his old ways. As he continued to struggle last year, he finally realized he needed to make adjustments and began implementing instruction better. Though Rowell has as much raw power as anyone in the system, he never has shown it in games. He has a smooth swing and should be a good hitter, but he puts too much pressure on himself and doesn't let his ability take over. Baltimore finally decided to move him to the outfield in 2009 after he struggled at third base for three seasons. He has some athleticism and his plus arm should play in right field, but he's still learning the position. He's an average runner. Rowell hasn't earned a promotion, but the Orioles may send him to Double-A just for a change of scenery. He had a good instructional league and needs to carry that over into 2010 because he's running out of opportunities to prove himself.
Rowell had an inconsistent season as the youngest regular in the Carolina League, injuring his ankle in the first game and missing most of April. He struggled for long stretches, bottoming out at .213 in early July, but bounced back by batting .297 in August. The first high school hitter selected in the 2006 draft, he signed for $2.1 million. Rowell has the highest ceiling of any hitting prospect in the organization, though he still has a lot of work to do to develop his bat. His smooth swing and bat speed should allow him to hit for average and give him the power to drive the ball, and he can generate easy pop even when he shortens his swing--which he needs to do more often. His arm is his best defensive tool. Put simply, Rowell needs to grow up. He still has his own hitting coach, meaning he and the Orioles often are working at cross-purposes. He's still helpless against lefthanders, batting .187 against them in 2008. He has lost a lot of his speed as his body has matured, and his hands and feet don't work together well, raising questions about his ability to stay at third base. Rowell could answer a lot of the questions about whether he'll realize his potential by returning to the Carolina League and outworking everyone else. Otherwise, he'll be an erratic hitter with no defensive position.
Rowell received a $2.1 million bonus as the first high school position player selected in the 2006 draft, the most Baltimore had given a hitter out of the draft until Matt Wieters in 2007. Rowell strained his right oblique in spring training and didn't report to low Class A Delmarva until the end of May, and he struggled all year to catch up. Rowell has a big frame and a sweet lefthanded swing, and the Orioles still have no doubt it will add up to a power hitter in the middle of their lineup within a few seasons. Rowell has the bat speed to drive any pitch out to any part of a ballpark, and the aptitude to make adjustments. The Orioles say Rowell has made progress with his defense at third, showing improved footwork and using his arm better. But he still made 21 errors in 82 games last year, and it's not clear he'll have the range to stay there. He also needs to improve his approach against lefthanders after batting .185 against them in 2007. Though he's athletic for his size, he's a below-average runner. He didn't have a great year statistically, but Rowell learned a lot in his first full pro season despite missing more than a month of action. Baltimore has no doubts about his bat, whether he stays at third base or has to move to first base or the outfield. He'll take the next step to high Class A this season.
Rowell was a four-year starter in high school at Bishop Eustace Prep in New Jersey, and he first emerged on the national scene in the summer before his junior season. Aside from a few scouts' questions about whether he was a better hitter in batting practice than in games, his stock never wavered much, even as he saw few pitches to hit as a high school senior. He sealed the deal for the Orioles in a predraft workout at Camden Yards with an impressive round of batting practice. Baltimore made him the ninth overall pick and the first high school hitter selected in the 2006 draft, and he lived up to that billing at Rookie-level Bluefield before earning a promotion to short-season Aberdeen for the last few weeks of the season. Rowell signed with the Orioles for a $2.1 million bonus, the most the team ever has given to a hitter out of the draft, and instantly became the top prospect in a system low on bats. Rowell is a big young man--he's still growing, and the Orioles think he could end up being about 6-foot-7--with a smooth, fluid swing that generates easy power. He has the bat speed to catch up to any pitch, and he can hit the ball out to any part of the park. He's a baseball junkie who spent hours honing his swing in a batting cage in his backyard, either taking turns pitching to his brother or hitting off a tee. All that work in the cage has resulted in an advanced hitter for his age, and Baltimore officials say they have rarely seen him mis-hit a ball. He also shows an ability to make adjustments, crushing lefthanders later in his pro debut after they made him look foolish early. He spreads out his stance to get better balance at the plate, and he sits low to reduce the size of his strike zone. Rowell was a shortstop in high school but moved to third base when he started his pro career. He committed 18 errors in 47 games at the hot corner, but showed enough potential that the Orioles will give him more time to learn the position. He's athletic for his size and works hard, but he's so big that he could end up at first base or in the outfield. Though he's ahead of most players his age, Rowell still has a lot to learn about hitting. He stays back on breaking balls well but needs work on his pitch recognition. He's not as pull-happy as some young hitters, but the Orioles still want him to hit the ball the other way more consistently. Rowell's biggest challenge might be integrating himself into a professional team. He's so accustomed to working out on his own, with his own routines in his own cage, that he'll have to learn to be part of a larger group. And, perhaps not surprising for a player who has said he models his game after Barry Bonds, he has a considerable ego as well. Rowell is exactly the kind of impact bat the Orioles desperately need in their big league lineup, so they'll move him up as soon as he shows he has mastered a level. His bat is good enough that defense is a secondary consideration. While he'll open 2007 as the third baseman at low Class A Delmarva, don't be surprised if he moves off that position and quickly shoots up through the system.

Minor League Top Prospects

Rowell snuck in at No. 20 on our low Class A South Atlantic League list last year, and he's doing the same on this Top 20--more the result of his age (he was the youngest regular in the CL) and upside than his on-field performance. He went into a tailspin in June but recovered to bat .297/.354/.418 in August. Rowell's raw power and smooth swing still portend the ability to hit for both power and average, but he needs to improve his discipline at the plate. He also needs to make adjustments against lefties, who held him to .185 and .187 averages the last two seasons. He showed a strong arm and improved footwork at third base, prompting confidence that he can remain there in the long term. "He was 19 in a league that overwhelmed a bit," an Orioles official said. "I'm not worried about this kid. He has grown up, he has matured and I think his bat will be fine. I think he just got overwhelmed but he survived it. He needs to go back there and go at this league again."
The ninth overall pick in the 2006 draft, Rowell played the entire season at age 18. He didn't tear up the SAL but he wasn't overwhelmed, either. He made adjustments against older and more experienced players, hitting seven of his nine homers in the final two months. Big and strong, Rowell is an aggressive hitter who feasts on fastballs. He has a good eye at the plate but he also has several holes in his swing. The Orioles, however, are determined not to tone him down as he learns how to make adjustments. "He was an 18-year-old kid who survived his first full season," Kendall said. "He struggled with offspeed pitches and against lefthanded pitchers, but he hung in there while batting in the middle of the lineup." Defensively, Rowell has soft hands and a very strong arm at third base. He also has good reactions for the hot corner, but must work on his judgment as well as his first step. Some scouts believe his lack of range eventually will lead him to shift to first base.
The best all-around high school position player in the draft, as well as the first one selected, Rowell was almost Snider's equal in terms of raw power but needed a month to adjust to pro pitching. He continued to hit after a late callup to short-season Aberdeen. While in high school, Rowell raised his hands and spread his stance to achieve more balance at the plate. Those changes helped him hit the ball with more authority to the gaps, and drew comparisons between the load in his swing to that of George Brett's. Rowell employs a loose, fluid stroke without a lot of moving parts and wasn't fazed by quality breaking balls. At 6-foot-5, he sits low at the plate so as to shrink his strike zone. He played shortstop in high school before the Orioles shifted him to third base. He has a plus arm and average range, but he made 16 errors in 36 games and could move to an outfield corner or first base if he continues to struggle. His work ethic won't be an issue. "He's a sponge. He's willing to learn," Bluefield manager Gary Allanson said. "If there's a baseball game on TV, he's watching it. Baseball is his life."