2021 Orioles #4 Prospect - Colton Cowser - OF

[Moose Milligan]

I'm fine with the lack of power if he can be a high average/high on base percentage guy.  Great command of the strike zone, can take a walk.  I'm not sure if he'd ever be a leadoff guy but if he can get his on base percentage in that .380-.400 range, that's valuable.  Or he could make a very potent 1-2 punch with Mullins at some point, unless it's some sort of baseball sin to have two lefties back to back at the top of the order.

IMO, there's room for a high average/high on base guy in today's game.  Is someone going to tell me that Tony Gwynn or Ichiro wouldn't be as regarded in the MLB today?  Not that Cowser is the next Gwynn or Ichiro but the obsession with power is a bit much today.  

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Just seemed to have a little bit of a negative tone to it.  Not that I disagree with what was said.

If it did come off negative, it wasn't my intention. I like Cowser overall, just don't think he'll profile in center field regularly, especially as he grows into his 6-3 frame. I do think he can end up with 15-20 home run power and maybe a bit more because of playing Camden Yards and Yankees stadium 8 times a year (if unbalance schedule sticks).

What seems negative? 

[waroriole]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'm fine with the lack of power if he can be a high average/high on base percentage guy.  Great command of the strike zone, can take a walk.  I'm not sure if he'd ever be a leadoff guy but if he can get his on base percentage in that .380-.400 range, that's valuable.  Or he could make a very potent 1-2 punch with Mullins at some point, unless it's some sort of baseball sin to have two lefties back to back at the top of the order.

IMO, there's room for a high average/high on base guy in today's game.  Is someone going to tell me that Tony Gwynn or Ichiro wouldn't be as regarded in the MLB today?  Not that Cowser is the next Gwynn or Ichiro but the obsession with power is a bit much today.  

I’m waiting for contact skills to come back into fashion. Strikeouts are fascist, ground balls = democracy. 

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, waroriole said:

I’m waiting for contact skills to come back into fashion. Strikeouts are fascist, ground balls = democracy. 

Agreed.  I hope they do come back into fashion.  Gotta be a way to combat the strikeout rates increasing, contact skills seem to be a natural way to do that.  

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

If it did come off negative, it wasn't my intention. I like Cowser overall, just don't think he'll profile in center field regularly, especially as he grows into his 6-3 frame. I do think he can end up with 15-20 home run power and maybe a bit more because of playing Camden Yards and Yankees stadium 8 times a year (if unbalance schedule sticks).

What seems negative? 

Negative may not be the right word.  Its not that you didn't have good things to say but the idea that he can't stick in CF and has questionable projectable power isn't something overly positive either. 

I mean, its nothing that we didn't know and you have to paint the whole picture for everyone, so you have to talk the good and the bad....I don't know, maybe I'm just misreading it.  Obviously you like him, so I know its not anything like that.  

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

Agreed.  I hope they do come back into fashion.  Gotta be a way to combat the strikeout rates increasing, contact skills seem to be a natural way to do that.  

These things are cyclical.  Its funny but people grabbed onto the idea of the Royals and the importance of the pen but they didn't do it when it came to that lineup being full of contact hitters.

There are always hidden ways to find value...sometimes its defense, sometimes its relievers...maybe good contact hitters with limited power are good buying opportunities right now.

[jamalshw]

Given this write up, I would love an OF of Hays, Mullins, Cowser in a couple years. We already have some power in the lineup with guys that are not great in the OBP department (Mountcastle) so evening that out with a strong hit tool and better OBP with mediocre power makes sense.

[Sports Guy]

If Tony is right and Cowser in CF isn't viable, does that change your outlook on what you believe the O's should do with Mullins?

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Honestly by the write up, I’m surprised he isn’t ranked a little lower. 
 

After reading this, I think it becomes even more obvious why Mayo is at 3.

If our fourth best prospect turns out to be Nick Markakis, I’m cool with that.   Nick was our no. 1 prospect at least twice IIRC.

[LookinUp]

48 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

If Tony is right and Cowser in CF isn't viable, does that change your outlook on what you believe the O's should do with Mullins?

Hate to derail this thread, but the decision needs to be made if Mullins will be a major contributor during a competitive window. If the competitive window is in his FA years, you trade him. If it's sooner, you keep him minus an awesome replacement.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Agreed.  I hope they do come back into fashion.  Gotta be a way to combat the strikeout rates increasing, contact skills seem to be a natural way to do that.  

Just rule any ball that goes over the fence a ground rule double.

 

[LookinUp]

2 hours ago, waroriole said:

I’m waiting for contact skills to come back into fashion. Strikeouts are fascist, ground balls = democracy. 

They couldn't stop talking about the Astros high contact rates after last night's game. They're not out of fashion amongst those in the know.

[bobmc]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

If our fourth best prospect turns out to be Nick Markakis, I’m cool with that.   Nick was our no. 1 prospect at least twice IIRC.

Uh yeah, we didn't forget your fanboy iterations here so yes that would be good.  

[Aristotelian]

2 hours ago, jamalshw said:

Given this write up, I would love an OF of Hays, Mullins, Cowser in a couple years. We already have some power in the lineup with guys that are not great in the OBP department (Mountcastle) so evening that out with a strong hit tool and better OBP with mediocre power makes sense.

Then what do you do with Stowers and Kjerstad? I have a feeling Hays gets traded for pitching at some point. Not sure how long he will overlap with Cowser.

[HowAboutThat]

All this talk about age makes it all the more magical that Manny showed up at, what, 19 or 20, and was still wildly successful.