WTM’s PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2013
R:  241/274/384, 112 AB, 8 2B, 4 3B, 4 BB, 23 K, 3-4 SB

Fowler didn’t do much in his debut beyond showing some gap power.

2014
A:  257/292/459, 257 AB, 13 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 13 BB, 53 K, 3-5 SB

The Yankees assigned Fowler to low A in mid-May and he played there the rest of the year.  He did miss some time in July and August.  His hitting was about the same as in rookie ball except his power improved.

2015
A:  307/340/419, 241 AB, 9 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 11 BB, 47 K, 18-25 SB
A+:  289/328/370, 246 AB, 11 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 15 BB, 43 K, 12-18 SB

New York sent Fowler back to low A and he hit much better over the first half of the season, although with less power and continued poor plate discipline.  He hit reasonably well after a mid-season promotion to the pitching-dominated Florida State League.  For the full season, Fowler had a platoon split of 130 OPS points.  Baseball America rated him New York’s tenth best prospect after the season.

2016
AA:  281/311/458, 541 AB, 30 2B, 15 3B, 12 HR, 22 BB, 86 K, 25-36 SB

Fowler put together a strong season, although still with almost no patience.  He had an extreme reverse platoon split.  Fowler ran a lot but with a mediocre success rate.  BA again rated him tenth in the system.

2017
AAA:  293/329/542, 297 AB, 19 2B, 8 3B, 13 HR, 15 BB, 63 K, 13-18 SB
MLB:  000/000/000

Fowler continued to improve in the International League, with much-increased power.  His platoon split was minimal.  The Yankees called him up at the end of June and, in his first game and before he got an at-bat, he ruptured a tendon in his right knee running into an exposed electrical box along the right field wall in a road game against the White Sox.  That cost him the rest of the year.  Just a month later, though, the Yankees sent Fowler to Oakland in a deadline deal for Sonny Gray.  BA rated him fourth in the Oakland system after the season.

2018
AAA:  341/364/520, 229 AB, 17 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 9 BB, 41 K, 13-15 SB
MLB:  224/256/354, 192 AB, 3 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 8 BB, 47 K, 6-10 SB

Oakland sent Fowler to AAA to start the season, then called him up in May.  He spent the rest of the season in the majors, except for the month of August.  He hit very well in AAA, but his poor control of the strike zone cost him in the majors.  He played mostly in center with the A’s.

2019
AAA:  277/333/477, 556 AB, 22 2B, 7 3B, 25 HR, 42 BB, 145 K, 12-16 SB

Fowler went back to AAA for the entire season.  He nearly doubled his career high for home runs, but his hitting numbers weren’t impressive as they look; he was playing in the high-offense Pacific Coast League in a year when the AAA leagues used a much livelier ball than before.  The PCL as a whole batted 277/354/477 and Fowler’s team, Las Vegas, hit 298/371/531.

2020
DNP

Fowler was assigned to Oakland’s training site during the pandemic season, but did not get called up.

Fowler has no options left.  That probably gave him an advantage over Brian Goodwin in the battle for an outfield spot, as he hit very little in spring training.  He’ll open the season as the Pirates’ fourth outfielder and could get some time in center.

UPDATE:  Fowler struggled with the Pirates, posting just a .434 OPS and striking out in half his at-bats.  They designated him for assignment in late April.  He cleared waivers and was assigned to the alternate training site.