Phillies got their man with the first overall pick in high school outfielder Mickey Moniak and to round out day one of their draft, the Phillies selected high school right-handed pitcher Kevin Gowdy out of Santa Barbara, California. There were whispers earlier in the week that the Phillies were going to try to land high school outfielder Blake Rutherford with their second round pick by giving him the same signing bonus as Moniak and having him tell other teams he wouldn’t sign with them. The plan didn’t quite work because the Yankees snatched him up with the 18th overall pick in the draft so the Phillies had to settle for Kevin Gowdy.
Gowdy is listed at 6’4, 170 pounds with a fastball that ranges from 90-93 MPH and with his frame, there can definitely be an increase in velocity over time. Gowdy has a breaking ball that can turn into a true slider with time and he has a better feel for a changeup than most high school pitchers. Another thing that makes Gowdy an appealing is his advanced command at his age and his solid mechanics. Gowdy usually has a free and easy delivery that he can repeat well, which is a huge thing for pitchers and guys who can repeat their deliveries end up being the most successful ones down the road.
Gowdy has been described as the most polished high school pitcher in the draft due to his mechanics and a good feel for the strikezone. He could have definitely been a mid-first round pick, but his college commitment to UCLA had teams worried about signability. Signability with Gowdy could possibly be a problem, but the Phillies should be able to sign him. Phillies kind of made the safe pick by taking Kevin Gowdy, but their selection of him can be justified by the upside Gowdy possesses.
Expect Gowdy to start out in the Gulf Coast League and he could move through the system at a decent rate with his mechanics and ability to pound the strikezone. Mickey Moniak and Kevin Gowdy were slated to be teammates at UCLA and now they can be teammates on the Phillies as part of the bright future of this organization, who continues to load up on high caliber talent and building through the draft has paid off for them in the past.
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