Kaleb Cowart

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2016
  A first-round pick in 2010 and the Angels' top prospect as recently as 2013, Cowart was demoted to high Class A Inland Empire to begin 2015 after two abysmal years at Double-A Arkansas. After hitting .179 in the California League in April, he seemed destined for a return to extended spring training to give pitching a try--but he experienced a breakthrough with the help of 66ers hitting coach Brent Del Chiaro. He moved up to Triple-A Salt Lake and eventually the big leagues. Cowart adjusted both the point at which he started his hands as well as the timing of his foot strike during his swing. His confidence returned and he hit .285/.363/.442 in 113 minor league games on his way to Anaheim for a 34-game trial. Cowart now takes a more simplified approach at the plate, and the switch-hitter continues to impact the ball more frequently from the right side. He has plenty of raw power but has struggled to get to it in games. Despite his offensive struggles, Cowart always has been a plus defender at third base with an elite, double-plus arm. Because of his strong work ethic, he never lost sight of his goal. Cowart will get another chance at a big league job in 2016 spring training, though he probably will return to Salt Lake for more seasoning.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #24 prospect in 2015
  Cowart embarked on a good career path during his first couple of years after the Angels selected the High School Player of the Year with the first of three first-round picks in 2010. The switch-hitting third baseman ranked as the Angels' top prospect in 2013 after a breakthrough year at two Class A levels, but Cowart hit a wall at Double-A Arkansas, batting a cumulative .222/.286/.312 in more than a 1,000 Texas League plate appearances. He's got plenty of raw power but doesn't get to it in games. At times he looks comfortable in the batter's box, and other times he's leaking forward and doesn't keep his weight balanced. Cowart still grades as a plus defender at the hot corner with an elite arm that grades as a double-plus tool, and he has excellent makeup. The Angels instructed Cowart to bat strictly lefthanded during his time in the Arizona Fall League to allow him to focus on improving one side, so that he could then mirror the improvements with his natural right side. He also was highly regarded as a pitcher during his high school days, so if he doesn't make strides at the plate, a switch to the mound is a strong possibility in the future.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #3 prospect in 2014
  The Baseball America High School Player of the Year in 2010, Cowart was generally viewed as a better pitching prospect than hitter. But he wanted to hit, and the Angels signed him for $2.3 million as a third baseman. Cowart stumbled in 2013, when he was the fourth-youngest player in the Double-A Texas League when the season began. The switch-hitter completely lost the timing of his lefthanded swing in 2013, getting his foot down too early and leaving him with no real trigger for his load. Cowart's righthanded swing has fewer issues, but he needs more selectivity from both sides. His power disappeared in 2013, but he has above-average raw power if he straightens out his swing. Defensively, Cowart plays a good third base with a plus arm and good range. He will repeat Double-A Arkansas in 2014, which will determine if 2013 was merely a speed bump or his true level as a hitter.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #1 prospect in 2013
  Cowart won Baseball America's 2010 High School Player of the Year award thanks to his dominance as a two-way player, hitting .654 with 11 home runs in 107 at-bats and going 10-1, 1.05 with 116 strikeouts in 73 innings. Most teams at the time preferred him on the mound, where he showed a plus fastball in the low 90s with sink along with a hard slider. He preferred to hit, however, and the Angels thought enough of his future as a third baseman to draft him 18th overall and pay him $2.3 million at the signing deadline. He didn't make much of a splash in his first two pro seasons, barely playing in 2010 and hitting .283/.345/.420 at Rookie-level Orem in 2011. He finally reached full-season ball in 2012 and had a breakthrough year in 135 games split between low Class A Cedar Rapids and high Class A Inland Empire. Cowart has developed into a well-rounded prospect at third base. A switch-hitter with strong hands, he shows the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field when he's going well. The book on him coming out of high school and entering the 2012 season was that his swing was more natural from the right side. His lefthanded stroke does still tend to get loopy, which causes him to pop the ball up more than he should, but he became more comfortable as a lefty last season. He hit 14 of his 16 homers from the left side of the plate in 2012. He has plus bat speed from both sides of the plate and the potential to hit more than 20 home runs annually when he reaches the big leagues. His plate discipline also has improved markedly, helping him to get into better hitter's' counts to drive the ball and to increase his on-base percentage with more walks. He didn't have as much success following his promotion to high Class A, yet he didn't stray from his patient approach. Cowart is athletic, has a quick first step and has become a solid defender at third base. He's a surehanded defender who makes all the routine plays, gets good jumps on balls and is adept at fielding bunts and slow choppers hit right at him, though he does need to get better on balls to his left. His long, over-the-top throwing motion is a little unorthodox for a third baseman, but it works for him because he has above-average arm strength and consistent accuracy. He had just 16 errors in 125 games in 2012 after making the same number in 66 games the year before. Cowart has below-average speed but runs the bases well. He earns praise for his aptitude and ability to make adjustments, and for being a good teammate. In a farm system that lacks impact talent and depth, Cowart stands out as the lone farmhand whom scouts feel comfortable about projecting as an everyday player in the big leagues. The Angels have produced just two homegrown all-star third basemen in their first 52 seasons--Dave Chalk and Troy Glaus--and Cowart has the potential to become their third. He should make the jump to Double-A Arkansas during the 2013 season, with a chance to compete for a starting job in the major leagues at some point in 2014.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2012
  Most teams preferred Cowart, the Baseball America 2010 High School Player of the Year, as a pitcher, but the two-way standout aspired to hit. The Angels acceded to his wishes and signed him for $2.3 million as the 18th overall pick in 2010. He began the 2011 season by going 18-for-33 (.545) in his first nine games at Orem but batted .248/.312/.388 the rest of the way. Cowart hits with authority to all fields with plus bat speed, but the natural righthanded hitter still isn't comfortable with his lefty stroke. He lacks the same seamless weight transfer and fluidity with his hands while batting lefthanded, resulting in a muscular, loopy swing. He did hit for power in equal measures from both sides at Orem, actually producing a higher average as a lefty (.295) than as a righty (.247). Scouts expect he'll mature into plus power, though he'll need to improve his selectivity to hit for average. Cowart's athleticism and first-step quickness stand out at third base, though he racked up 16 errors in 66 games, most of them on throws when he failed to set his feet. His plus-plus arm strength affords him plenty of time to make plays on any ball he keeps in front of him. Assuming he refines his lefty swing, Cowart profiles as a starting-caliber third baseman. He's ready for an assignment to low Class A but might need three or four more years to fully develop.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2011
  The first of three successive Angels 2010 first-round picks from Georgia high schools, Cowart went 18th overall and signed for $2.3 million at the signing deadline. A two-way standout, he batted .654 with 11 home runs and went 10-1, 1.05 on the mound to win BA's High School Player of the Year award. Most clubs preferred the Florida State recruit as a pitcher, but he wanted to hit and Los Angeles liked his potential as a switch-hitting third baseman. Cowart has undeniable power potential, but he swings with more authority from the right side and must improve his efficiency and pitch recognition while batting lefthanded. He's strong and has an excess of bat speed, though the Angels would like to see him shorten his swing and keep his bat in the zone longer. A below-average runner, Cowart makes routine plays at third base but projects as an average defender at best. His hands are fine and he has plus arm strength. His fastball sat in the low 90s with sink in high school. The Angels recognized Cowart as most improved player in Angels instructional league. Because of his background as a two-way player and the need to iron out his lefthanded swing, he'll need time to develop. He'll probably begin 2011 in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #12 prospect in 2012
  Coming off a solid first full-season of pro ball, Cowart struggled in his first bout with advanced pitching, batting just .200 with 16 strikeouts over 60 at bats. Regardless, the 20-year-old third baseman showed enough for scouts to think he has above-average potential on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Cowart is a capable switch-hitter with power potential from both sides of the plate and an advanced approach for his age. Defensively, he displays good arm strength, excellent footwork and smooth actions, showcasing the ability to attack groundballs like a shortstop.
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  Ranked Midwest League #8 prospect in 2012
  Though many teams preferred him on the mound when the Angels drafted him 18th overall in 2010, Cowart ended any talk of him pitching by making major strides in his introduction to full-season ball this year. He batted .276/.358/452 with 103 RBIs between two Class A stops and looked like a future all-star with all-around skills at third base. Cowart is growing more comfortable with switch-hitting, showing power to all fields from both sides of the plate. He's also getting more disciplined, as evidenced by his 45 walks in 69 games in high Class A. A grinder who gets the most out of his fringy speed, he plays a solid third base with a quick first step and a strong arm.
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  Ranked California League #4 prospect in 2012
  Cowart earned a promotion to Inland Empire after an all-star first-half in the low Class A Midwest League. He held his own with the 66ers, though he wore down in August in his first attempt at playing a full minor league season. While he sometimes struggled to cover outside fastballs late in the year, he has strong hands and showed a feel for driving balls to the opposite field when he was going well. "I think you're going to see good power as he gets older," Inland Empire manager Bill Haselman said. "He already has it, but he'll probably utilize it more as he gets a little bit older. He's definitely a 20-plus home run guy in the big leagues." Cowart has an advanced approach at the plate for his age, as his 45 walks in 69 games ranked fourth in the league during that span. Though a below-average runner, he plays an impressive third base, showing good hands and a strong arm.
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  Ranked Pioneer League #6 prospect in 2011
  A two-way standout as BA's 2010 High School Player of the Year, Cowart attracted more attention from scouts as a pitcher but preferred to hit. The Angels liked his potential as a switch-hitting third baseman with power and signed him for $2.3 million as the 2010 draft's 18th overall pick. Cowart began his 2011 campaign on fire, going 18-for-33 (.545) in his first nine games, but his bat cooled considerably and he hit .248/.312/.388 afterward. Cowart shortened his swing and improved his path from the left side during the season, managing to hit for a higher average as a lefty (.295) than he did from his natural right side (.247). Managers and scouts liked his middle-of-the-field hitting approach, though he'll need to manage the strike zone better to hit for average as he moves up. He produced power in equal measures from both sides of the plate, and he could top out near 25 homers once he learns to pull the inside pitch consistently. Cowart's athleticism and first-step quickness stand out at a position dominated by sluggers with limited mobility, and the solid-average defender topped PL third basemen with 128 assists and 17 double plays. Throwing errors sometimes resulted when he didn't set his feet, but his plus-plus arm strength affords him more time than the typical third baseman.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #60 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Cowart won Baseball America's 2010 High School Player of the Year award thanks to his dominance as a two-way player, hitting .654 with 11 home runs in 107 at-bats and going 10-1, 1.05 with 116 strikeouts in 73 innings. Most teams at the time preferred him on the mound, where he showed a plus fastball in the low 90s with sink along with a hard slider. He preferred to hit, however, and the Angels thought enough of his future as a third baseman to draft him 18th overall and pay him $2.3 million at the signing deadline. He didn't make much of a splash in his first two pro seasons, barely playing in 2010 and hitting .283/.345/.420 at Rookie-level Orem in 2011. He finally reached full-season ball in 2012 and had a breakthrough year in 135 games split between low Class A Cedar Rapids and high Class A Inland Empire. Scouting Report: Cowart has developed into a well-rounded prospect at third base. A switch-hitter with strong hands, he shows the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field when he's going well. The book on him coming out of high school and entering the 2012 season was that his swing was more natural from the right side. His lefthanded stroke does still tend to get loopy, which causes him to pop the ball up more than he should, but he became more comfortable as a lefty last season. He hit 14 of his 16 homers from the left side of the plate in 2012. Cowart has plus bat speed from both sides of the plate and the potential to hit more than 20 home runs annually when he reaches the big leagues. His plate discipline also has improved markedly, helping him to get into better hitter's' counts to drive the ball and to increase his on-base percentage with more walks. He didn't have as much success following his promotion to high Class A, yet he didn't stray from his patient approach. Cowart is athletic, has a quick first step and has become a solid defender at third base. He's a surehanded defender who makes all the routine plays, gets good jumps on balls and is adept at fielding bunts and slow choppers hit right at him, though he does need to get better on balls to his left. His long, over-the-top throwing motion is a little unorthodox for a third baseman, but it works for him because he has above-average arm strength and consistent accuracy. He had just 16 errors in 125 games in 2012 after making the same number in 66 games the year before. Cowart has below-average speed but runs the bases well. He earns praise for his aptitude and ability to make adjustments, and for being a good teammate. The Future: In a farm system that lacks impact talent and depth, Cowart stands out as the lone farmhand who scouts feel comfortable about projecting as an everyday player in the big leagues. The Angels have produced just two homegrown all-star third basemen in their first 52 seasons--Dave Chalk and Troy Glaus--and Cowart has the potential to become their third. He should make the jump to Double-A Arkansas during the 2013 season, with a chance to compete for a starting job in the major leagues at some point in 2014.
• August, 2012 Scouting Report
  Coming off a solid first full-season of pro ball, Cowart struggled in his first bout with advanced pitching, batting just .200 with 16 strikeouts over 60 at bats. Regardless, the 20-year-old third baseman showed enough for scouts to think he has above-average potential on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Cowart is a capable switch-hitter with power potential from both sides of the plate and an advanced approach for his age. Defensively, he displays good arm strength, excellent footwork and smooth actions, showcasing the ability to attack groundballs like a shortstop.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Most teams preferred Cowart, Baseball America's 2010 High School Player of the Year, as a pitcher, but the two-way standout aspired to hit. The Angels acceded to his wishes and signed him for $2.3 million as the 18th overall pick in 2010. He began the 2011 season by going 18-for-33 (.545) in his first nine games at Orem but batted .248/.312/.388 the rest of the way. Scouting Report: Cowart hits with authority to all fields with plus bat speed, but the natural righthanded hitter still isn't comfortable with his lefty stroke. He lacks the same seamless weight transfer and fluidity with his hands while batting lefthanded, resulting in a muscular, loopy swing. He did hit for power in equal measures from both sides at Orem, actually producing a higher average as a lefty (.295) than as a righty (.247). Scouts expect he'll mature into plus power, though he'll need to improve his selectivity to hit for average. Cowart's athleticism and first-step quickness stand out at third base, though he racked up 16 errors in 66 games, most of them on throws when he failed to set his feet. His plus-plus arm strength affords him plenty of time to make plays on any ball he keeps in front of him. The Future: Assuming he refines his lefty swing, Cowart profiles as a starting-caliber third baseman. However, he might need as many as four years to fully develop.