Orioles first base prospect TT Bowens is trying to become one of the few Connecticut natives to reach the big leagues, and he’s confident that the improvements he’s showing in 2024 will help make that dream a reality.
In the midst of a great start, Bowens continues to grind it out in the batter’s box with Double-A Bowie. The 25-year-old, currently in his fourth season of professional baseball, believes every step in the minors puts him closer to realizing his major league goals.
“This game is very interesting. It’s a lot of hard work and the grind. Day in and day out, everyone has their ups and downs,” Bowens said on Glenn Clark Radio April 18. “The biggest thing for me I’ve worked on in the offseason, now having about three professional seasons under my belt, just really trying to fine tune all my holes and weaknesses and attack those. At the higher levels as I go up, that’s what gets exposed and so for me personally to try and attack those weaknesses and be the same guy every day and efficient with my work.”
Another reminder of just how far Bowens has come can be seen in his performance. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound infielder posted a .224/.312/.385 slash line between three affiliates last year, then hit .210/.304/.420 with four homers in 21 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Bowens is off to a strong start in 2024, however. He is batting .311/.368/.541 with five doubles, three homers and 18 RBIs entering play on May 1.
“Confidence is a huge thing. I mean, you see everyone in the minor leagues has the talent,” Bowens said. “… Consistency is the biggest part of baseball. It’s the hardest thing to do. That’s why those guys in the major leagues are so impressive, it’s because they do the same thing every single day. That’s the biggest thing I’ve worked on in my game is being that consistent guy with my work, with my process, with my preparation mentally, physically, emotionally.”
Though his numbers were not where he wanted them to be in 2023, Bowens didn’t allow signs of frustration or doubt to creep in.
“I credit that a lot to the people I surround myself with. I’m blessed enough to have a lot of people who support me and help in the organization and outside as well,” Bowens said. “The belief in my skill set and knowing what I’m capable of doing and just being able to just put those hardships right in front of my face and recognize what needs to be worked on in order to make that next step to being a major league player.”
Bowens is the first to admit his path to pro ball by way of Connecticut was not easy. He attributes the challenges in terms of weather to making him work harder to get to where he wants to be.
Some of the most notable recent Connecticut-born players include right-hander Matt Barnes and outfielders Rajai Davis and George Springer. Davis was responsible for one of the most historic plays in MLB history when he hit a home run to tie Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. He led the majors in stolen bases that same season.
“It’s certainly no secret that baseball in Connecticut doesn’t produce the most superstars,” Bowens said. “There is a small percentage. I’m actually grateful to be pretty close with one of them. Rajai Davis actually is from just about a town over from me. Once I started my pro career, I really kind of connected with him. He has a very interesting career, similar to me. He was a [38th-round] draft pick out of a junior college and it turned into a [14-year] big league career, so he certainly had a world of information to kind of help me with getting into this.”
When reflecting on the talent in the Orioles’ pipeline, Bowens is not deterred by the competition and welcomes the challenges. With mainstays like Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn and Heston Kjerstad in the mix at first base, the depth chart appears stacked and will require Bowens to up the ante.
“What the Orioles have right now is special. What they’ve grown and developed in our organization is very special but that’s one thing I will always say, it makes everybody here better,” Bowens said. “… The atmosphere that they’ve built here has allowed players to push each other. Players here are smart and intelligent and we talk amongst each other, but watching each player go about their work and their business and then go on the field and perform it is a whole other level of making you want to work harder.”
For more from Bowens, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Joe Noyes