1495 Sports is proud to bring the following video featuring the Baltimore Orioles 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft Pick Colton Cowser along with General Manager Michael Elias
It was announced by the Baltimore Orioles that they were able to select outfielder Colton Cowser from Sam Houston State University with the fifth overall selection in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Cowser had a great season at Sam Houston State University, hitting .374/.490/.680 with 16 home runs, 10 doubles, two triples and 61 runs. The outfielder was able to rank in the top five in the Southland Conference in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, runs, hits, and other statistical categories.
Colton was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year and became the second player in Sam Houston History to earn the honor. Some of the other honors that Cowser was able to earn include All-SLC First Team, SLC All-Defensive Team, and SLC All-Tournament team. Colton was one of the players that was instrumental in leading Sam Houston to the SLC Title Game, while being the first Bearkat in history to be named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Prior to the start of the 2021 season Colton was named to the preseason All-SLC First Team, in addition to being named the Baseball America preseason All-American First Team as well as the Perfect Game preseason All-American Second Team. Cowser was also listed in the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award preseason watch list and was ranked as the No. 10 overall draft prospect by MLB.com and the No 11 prospect by Baseball America.
During his Sophomore Campaign Cower was able to start all 14 games for Sam Houston State and was able to hit safely in the first eight games, before the cancelation of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Colton was able to finish the season batting .255/.379/.364 with one homer, three doubles, 14 runs and six RBIS. As he entered the season, Cowser was able to make history becoming the first Bearkat to be named to the Golden Spikes Award preseason list.
Cowser also received some other honors including being named to the preseason All-American Third Team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), Preseason All-American Third Team by D1Baseball.com, Preseason All-America Third Team by Collegiate Baseball, Preseason All-SLC Conference First Team, and Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award preseason watch list.
In his freshman year, Cowser was able to start in 56 games holding a .361/.450/.602 with seven homers/17 doubles and seven triples. Colton was named Southland Conference hitter of the Year and an All-SLC First Team Outfielder. Cowser earned a spot on the Team USA Collegiate National Team, making him the first Bearkat in school history to achieve the honor, and the first Southland Conference player since Michael Choice (UT Arlington) in 2009 to do so. Cowser was also named to the D1Baseball.com Freshman All-American First Team, Baseball America Freshman All-American Second Team, Perfect Game Freshman All-American Second Team, ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region Second Team, and earned Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
Cowser is a native of Cypress, Texas and was able to lead Cy Ranch High School to a 32-9-2 record and a berth in the Class 6A state tournament as a senior in 2018.
The Orioles have had a history of choosing outfielders, as Cowser becomes the fourth that the franchise has chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft since 2000, and the second-straight after taking Heston Kjerstad last season. Cowser is the third player the Orioles have selected from Sam Houston State since 2018, joining catcher Jordan Cannon and Infielder Drew Fregia.
In their history the Orioles have had the number five overall selection twice before in club history: in 2007, when they selected Matt Wieters out of Georgia Tech University and in 2009, when they selected Pitcher Matt Hobgood from Norco (CA) High School. It is the first time the Orioles have had picks in the top five in three-straight years in 2010-12.
The 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft continues tonight with the completion of Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A. The Draft will continue Monday, July 12, with round 2 on MLB Network and rounds Competitive Balance Round B through 10 on MLB.com, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET, and conclude on Tuesday, July 13, on MLB.com with rounds 11-20 starting at 12:00 p.m.
For more information on the Baltimore Orioles fans are encouraged to click on the link seen here: