As sophomores, Kowar led a loaded University of Florida starting rotation to the College World Series title in 2017 and was projected to be first-round draft picks the following spring.
When the Draft eventually arrived, there were varied opinions about whether pitcher was the greater pro prospect, but the Royals were able to grab him in the first round, picking him as the 33rd overall pick.
Kowar advanced to Double-A midway through his first complete pro season and continued to throw well in the second half, displaying a mix of stuff, pitchability, and stamina against Texas League batters.
As a starter, Kowar’s fastball-changeup combination is his calling card, but he also has the opportunity to throw three pitches that are at least average.
His finest pitch is a mid-80s plus-plus changeup, which he throws with tremendous deception, arm speed, and tumbling and fading movement, making it a swing-and-miss weapon against batters on both sides of the plate.
His fastball can reach 97 mph, but he often pitches in the 93-95 mph range, with increased arm-side life and command over his first full season.
Kowar is a good strike-thrower with a lot of whiffs and poor groundball contact, but his command needs to be improved.
Jackson Kowar Prospect Ranking
Jackson Kowar is ranked No. 5 on the 2021 Kansas city prospect list
