Kyle Stowers -- Prospect Evaluation

The 2019 MLB Draft is scheduled for June with the Houston Astros holding the #32 overall selection. Mock drafts show considerable disagreement on potential targets at this slot, with various analysts predicting different prospects. One prediction from Through The Fence Baseball's Michael Dault forecasts the Astros will select Stanford's Kyle Stowers, a 21-year-old junior outfielder. Stowers is ranked #34 on MLB Pipeline's prospect list and is described as a solidly built 6'3", 200-pound prospect with legitimate power and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. This projection comes as the Astros previously drafted Clemson's Seth Beer in the first round of the 2018 draft, a player similarly described as having significant power potential.

Kyle Stowers, the third player selected by the Orioles in their 2019 draft (following Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson), was promoted to the MLB roster on August 19, 2022, after being selected in the CB B round of the 2020 draft. Stowers, a Stanford product, was ranked #8 on Camden Chat's composite prospect rankings and led Orioles minor leaguers with 19 home runs at the time of his call-up.

Despite preseason expectations that the struggling 2022 Orioles would provide ample playing time to evaluate prospects, the team's unexpected turnaround into contention severely limited Stowers' opportunities. The Orioles' established outfielders—Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, and Anthony Santander—all played 112+ of 124 games and each posted OPS+ ratings above 109. Stowers only appeared in two of four games in June when Santander was unavailable due to COVID vaccination restrictions, and did not receive regular roster consideration until late August after Brett Phillips was designated for assignment following the Trey Mancini trade deadline departure.

The article notes frustration among observers that despite Stowers joining a historically poor team in prospect evaluation circumstances, he received minimal developmental opportunities to demonstrate his major league readiness in actual game situations.

Kyle Stowers is a left-handed outfielder selected 71st overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019. Standing 6'3" and weighing 215 lbs, the Stanford product emerged as a power threat in college and impressed at the Cape Cod League in summer 2018, hitting .326/.361/.565 with six home runs in 34 games, though his 22.97% strikeout rate raised concerns about plate discipline.

Stowers generates good bat speed from a narrow stance with a simple left-handed swing beginning with a low handset. Scouts initially criticized his pull-oriented approach leading to elevated strikeouts, but he significantly reduced his strikeout rate in 2019. Early-season struggles through February-March saw him hit just .254 with one home run in 59 at-bats, but he rebounded significantly in April-May, batting .324 with six home runs in 28 games.

Assessment of his tools reveals no single plus tool. Instead, Stowers offers a well-rounded game with average-to-solid-average abilities across the board. He is an average runner with solid arm strength but better suited for corner outfield positions than center field. While capable at first base, his power profile does not project adequately for that position long-term. His professional development has been tracked through multiple scouting reports from 2018-2023, with his prospect ranking fluctuating between #7 (2022) and #16 (2024) within the organization. Stowers made his MLB debut on June 13, 2022, and has since been acquired by the Miami Marlins, where recent transactions indicate injury rehabilitation assignments.

Kyle Stowers, 25, has an opportunity to secure a starting outfield role for the Baltimore Orioles heading into spring training. The 2019 supplemental second-round pick from Stanford made his MLB debut as a COVID callup in June 2022 and appeared in 34 games, hitting .253/.306/.418 with 3 home runs while striking out at a 30% rate. However, his trajectory improved significantly late in the season—he started in 10 of the Orioles' final 15 games and posted an .878 OPS during that stretch.

At Triple-A Norfolk in 2022, Stowers demonstrated substantial improvement, recording 19 home runs with an .884 OPS while simultaneously increasing his slugging percentage and decreasing his strikeout rate—an uncommon combination of improvements. This performance mirrored his 2021 trajectory, when he struggled early but finished strong after initially striking out over a third of the time. Manager Brandon Hyde expressed confidence in Stowers' potential, stating he 'has an opportunity to win a major league job' and noting his 'ton of ability.' Hyde highlighted Stowers' projected power output, his capacity for plate adjustments, his ability to draw walks, and his corner outfield defense capabilities as key assets.

The Orioles spent the offseason pursuing left-handed hitters to balance an offense that had been right-handed heavy. Stowers, a left-handed hitter, represents an internal option to fill that need while providing power production to complement the team's adjusted outfield dimensions at Camden Yards.

Kyle Stowers, a 26-year-old outfielder, is positioning himself as a potential dark horse for the Baltimore Orioles' 2024 Opening Day roster following a strong Spring Training performance. Orioles GM Mike Elias emphasized Stowers' talent during the Winter Meetings in December, noting his power, athleticism, defensive versatility in the corners, and throwing ability while characterizing him as an under-the-radar prospect who reflects the organizational depth. Stowers was drafted by Baltimore with the No. 71 overall pick in 2019 and ranked as the club's No. 8 prospect after the 2022 season. He made the Opening Day roster last spring before fading from prominence. In early Spring Training action, Stowers demonstrated improved plate discipline through quality at-bats in live batting practice, particularly against left-handed pitchers. He produced a solo home run off Braves left-hander Dylan Lee and went 1-for-5 in his first two Grapefruit League games before entering as a pinch-hitter in the third game. Stowers attributes his recent improvements to offseason work on swing mechanics focused on efficiency at the plate, noting that he is seeing tangible results while believing there is more potential yet to be realized in games.