Michael Bowden Pitcher

     
 

Born: September 9, 1986
Aurora, Ill
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 1st round, 2005
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Waubonsie Valley HS (Ill)

 Photo © SoxProspects, LLC

Links
 David Laurila Q&A with Michael Bowden
2009 Prospect Preview
Fire Brand Q&A (July 2009)
2010 Prospect Preview
2011 Prospect Preview
Q&A with Michael Bowden (7.26.11)

Traded to Chicago (NL) for Marlon Byrd and a PTBNL (Hunter Cervenka) (April 2012)

Scouting Report: Bowden has an arsenal of four pitches: (1) an 88-92 mph four-seam fastball that can top out around 94 mph, (2) an average 12-6 hard breaking curve, (3) an excellent circle changeup, and (4) an 83-85 mph slider that he added in 2009, which he hopes to use as an out pitch down the line. Also developing a cutter in 2011. His main pitch - the four-seamer - has a late, heavy sinking movement, and he generally keeps it down in the zone. Bowden can also work in a two-seamer that is a few mph off of his four-seamer, with a bit more movement. His deceptive changeup sits in the low-80s, about 10 mph off of his fastball, with action moving away from lefties. His mid-70s curve is sharp and he keeps hitters at bay with it, but he definitely telegraphs it too often. Overall, Bowden has an excellent command of the zone. One aspect that should come with more experience is improved pitchability against advanced hitters. His mechanics are somewhat unconventional in that his delivery is quite compact and he doesn't pull back with a lot of torque. Relies more on arm strength than leverage. Still, he's able to maintain consistent arm action throughout his outings, so the Sox haven't messed with his delivery. Bowden is said to be a workaholic and just loves to pitch - another player who just lives and dies for baseball. Very athletic and focused and intense on the mound.

  
   
    Career Stats                                          
  year team lg level org age w l era g gs sv ip h r er hr hbp bb so whip k/9 bb/9
  2005 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 18 1 0 0.00 4 2 0 6.0 4 0 0 0 0 4 10 1.33 15.00 6.00
  2006 Greenville Drive SAL A Bos 19 9 6 3.51 24 24 0 107.2 91 50 42 9 0 31 118 1.13 9.86 2.59
  2006 Wilmington Blue Rocks Caro A+ Bos 19 0 0 9.00 1 1 0 5.0 9 5 5 0 0 1 3 2.00 5.40 1.80
  2007 Lancaster JetHawks Calif A+ Bos 20 2 0 1.37 8 8 0 46.0 35 10 7 1 0 8 46 0.93 9.00 1.57
  2007 Portland Sea Dogs East AA Bos 20 8 6 4.28 19 19 0 96.2 105 51 46 9 0 33 82 1.43 7.63 3.07
  2008 Portland Sea Dogs East AA Bos 21 9 4 2.33 19 19 0 104 72 31 27 5 0 24 101 0.92 8.71 2.07
  2008 Pawtucket Red Sox IL AAA Bos 21 0 3 3.38 7 6 0 40.0 40 16 15 5 0 5 29 1.13 6.53 1.13
  2008 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 21 1 0 3.60 1 1 0 5.0 7 2 2 0 0 1 3 1.60 5.40 1.80
  2009 Pawtucket Red Sox IL AAA Bos 22 4 6 3.13 24 24 0 126.1 106 47 44 11 0 47 88 1.21 6.27 3.35
  2009 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 22 1 1 9.56 8 1 0 16.0 23 17 17 3 0 6 12 1.81 6.75 3.38
  2010 Pawtucket Red Sox IL AAA Bos 23 6 4 3.66 31 16 1 105.2 84 43 43 13 2 37 77 1.15 6.56 3.15
  2010 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 23 0 1 4.70 14 0 0 15.1 20 8 8 2 0 4 13 1.57 7.63 2.35
  2011 Pawtucket Red Sox IL AAA Bos 24 3 3 2.73 41 0 16 52.2 43 19 16 5 1 18 61 1.16 10.42 3.08
  2011 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 24 0 0 4.05 14 0 0 20.0 19 9 9 3 0 11 17 1.50 7.65 4.95
  2012 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 25 0 0 3.00 2 0 0 3.0 2 1 1 1 0 1 3 1.00 9.00 3.00
  2012 Iowa Cubs PCL AAA CHC 25 3 2 2.76 23 0 2 32.2 19 12 10 2 0 17 35 1.10 9.64 4.68
  2012 Chicago Cubs NL MLB CHC 25 0 0 2.95 30 0 0 36.2 30 12 12 4 1 16 29 1.25 7.12 3.93
  2013 Iowa Cubs PCL AAA CHC 26 0 0 2.41 13 0 2 18.2 14 5 5 1 0 3 28 0.91 13.50 1.45
  2013 Chicago Cubs NL MLB CHC 26 1 3 4.30 34 0 0 37.2 32 18 18 3 3 15 23 1.25 5.50 3.58
  2014 Seibu Lions --- Intl --- 27 2 1 4.50 36 1 0 40.0 38 20 20 4 1 24 30 1.55 6.75 5.40
  2015 Norfolk Tides IL AAA Bal 28 7 2 1.91 24 9 0 75.1 60 19 16 4 0 20 52 1.06 6.21 2.39
  2015 Rochester Red Wings IL AAA Min 28 4 3 3.78 8 8 0 47.2 50 22 20 2 0 11 47 1.28 8.87 2.08
  2019 High Point Rockers Atl Indy --- 32 2 4 2.93 9 9 0 43.0 38 15 14 4 0 8 53 1.07 11.09 1.67
  2019 Tulsa Drillers Tex AA LAD 32 1 1 8.15 4 4 0 17.2 26 17 16 7 0 3 15 1.64 7.64 1.53
  2019 Oklahoma City Dodgers PCL AAA LAD 32 0 0 0.00 1 1 0 3.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.33 9.00 0.00
  2019 Puebla Pericos Mex AAA --- 32 0 0 9.00 1 1 0 3.0 5 4 3 2 0 2 1 2.33 3.00 6.00
  2021 Chicago Dogs AmAs Indy --- 34 7 1 0.88 12 9 0 52.1 37 17 17 10 0 10 52 0.90 8.90 1.70
   
  Additional Player Info  
  Pronunciation: BOE-din
First Pro Contract: June 23, 2005 by Danny Haas
Signing Bonus: $730,000
MiLB Debut: August 8, 2005 (GCL)		 Added to 40-man: DFA
MLB Debut: August 30, 2008
     
  Awards
Red Sox ML Pitcher of the Month (April 2007)
2007 Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago ML Player of the Year
Red Sox ML Pitcher of the Month (May 2008)
2008 Eastern League All-Star
2008 Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year
Red Sox ML Pitcher of the Month (June 2010)		 SoxProspects.com Awards
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (April 15-21, 2007)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (May 6-12, 2007)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (June 10-16, 2007)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (August 12-18, 2007)
2008 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star - SP
 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (April 28 - May 5, 2008)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (May 19-25, 2008)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month (May 2008)
 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (June 2-8, 2008)
2008 SoxProspects.com All-Star - SP
2008 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Year
2009 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star - SP
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (April 20-26, 2009)
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (June 14-20, 2010)
2011 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star - RP
SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week (May 9-15, 2011)
2011 SoxProspects.com All-Star - RP
 
 

 
     
 
 		  
     
 
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