Collin Cowgill, OF Arizona Diamondbacks
5/22/1986
Height: 5’9″ Weight: 195
Collin Cowgill was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 5th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Kentucky. A place near and dear to our own Aaron Bentley’s heart. Through 4 years of minor league baseball the undersized Cowgill has continued to stick as one of the Dbacks top 20 prospects. Here is what we had to say about Cowgill back in 2009:
“14. Collin Cowgill OF ARI 5/22/1986 5″9″:195 ETA 2011
Plus bat speed with poor discipline. Might be too old to overcome negatives of fringe range and arm including being undersized for a power hitting OF. Good speed.”
At #14 for the Diamondbacks Top 21 in 2009 he’s been on the radar. But the same questions that were there in 2009 still ring true today. Let’s take a look at the Bat and Glove to get a better idea of the tools we’re looking at and delve into the numbers a bit.
Collin Cowgill, OF Arizona Diamondbacks
The Bat
Cowgill has always flashed power and we considered him a power hitting OF even in his second season. But whether the power would continue to translate was in question, mainly because of his size. Of all four of his minor league seasons I think that his 2010 season at Mobile is the one most in line with what Cowgill is capable of. Through 502 AB he held a .283/16/83 with 25 SB. His .305 BABIP and 12% linedrive rate were actually career lows. So a regression to a higher level could be seen already. In 2011, he’s torn up the PCL at Reno with a .354/13/70 slash and 31 SB. So the average power is real. The speed is good enough for him to be effective through his peak years, which are coming up soon. If he can maintain his 13.8% K rate and 11.2% walk rate he will also get on base enough to utilize his average speed and strong base running instincts.
The Glove
Cowgill has pressed his way from a prospect who might not be able to stick as a LF to a prospect who’s glove puts him playable in all 3 OF spots. That can only be attributed to his game play and hard work. His arm has gone from an average tool to his best tool over his 4 years in the minors and also plays well at all OF spots. He’s going to be able to handle anything that Diamondbacks hand him in terms of playing time on the defensive side of the ball and if his bat continues to hold up.
Our Instinct
Collin Cowgill has been a prospect that was doomed to fail at each level based on his size and average skill set. But he hasn’t failed. He’s performed above expectations at every level and sometimes the way a player goes about his business is enough to turn average tools into a a Major League career. For Cowgill, he might be in the right organization at the right time to make himself known. The organization while deep in the minors is not deep at OF with elite talent. Players like Marc Krauss, A.J. Pollack and Keon Broxton are not proving to be elite players. So the battle will come down to who wants it most over the next 3 years.
Cowgill’s upside is a .280/15/20 type everyday OF. Enough power for LF. Not really. Enough glove to move Chris Young? Not really. Enough of everything to compete as the Dbacks 4th OF? I think so. Cowgill is a guy everyone can root for.
UPDATE – Cowgill has since been traded to the Oakland A’s and looks to compete for a starting spot in Spring Training.
Don’t forget to check out our installments of the Prospect Instinct for both James Darnell of the San Diego Padres and Garrett Richards of the Angels. Check back soon as we profile many more Top MLB Prospects and lesser known prospects that we think could be big names on the prospect radars in the near future. Anyone can tell you that Mike Trout is going to be a stud now, but who told you that when he was drafted? Thanks for checking Baseball Instinct. We’re working hard to bring you the best of the minor leagues and make the site the best experience it can be. So don’t hesitate to tell us what you would like to read about. Email me now at Tom@baseballinstinct.com.
