Cooper Bowman, 2B, NYY

When a player is asked to do something, and then he does that thing very, very well, what do you call him? Cooper Bowman.

Video courtesy of R McElhaney
  • Born: January 25, 2000
  • B/T: Right/Right
  • 6’0″, 205-lbs
  • Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Louisville

The Numbers

His raw numbers are listed above courtesy of baseball-reference.com. Let’s aggregate by year then focus on the important numbers for minor leaguers:

Right out of university in 2021 he showed power, decent on-base ability, speed, and bat control.

In 2022, now at High-A, he showed power, decent on-base ability, speed, and bat control. Only more so.

Was it just a hot start?:

No, in April he showed power, decent on-base ability, speed, and bat control.

Then in May he showed power, decent on-base ability, speed, and bat control.

OK, you get the idea, he’s been steady as she goes all year, and he does everything — and I mean everything — you want to see in a batter prospect. The guy gets on base more than 40% of the time and he’s on track for 30+ SBs, while hitting for power as well. What’s not to like?

80% of his plate appearances have come against RHP, and wouldn’t you know it, 80% of his hits have come against RHP, 77% of his walks, 64% of his strikeouts, he gets on base 40% of the time against both. I mean, he hits a little better against lefties, but my goodness wouldn’t you take a .398 OBP against righties? Especially when his power is a .242 ISO against RHP but only a .118 ISO against LHP. Aha! We finally found something asymmetrical!

“Bowman’s swing is super short back to the baseball, giving him a chance to hit while playing a decent second base. The last hitterish second baseman [Nick Solak] the Yankees took out of Louisville turned out okay.”

Excerpt from FanGraphs

The Scouts

Warnings

No Double-A time yet.

He’s a college bat against High-A pitchers, so let’s not buy in too much until he advances.

Conclusion

A player can only do what he’s asked to do. The Yankees asked him to tackle High-A pitching and he did it with aplomb. He needs to go to Double-A soon.

Scouts call him a utility infielder prospect with mostly pull power. But that was before he showed up High-A pitching. I’m not so sure he won’t turn into a low-BA, high-OBP starting second baseman with enough power to help with all the stolen bases he will provide.

The kid is doing everything right so far.