Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects 2023 Recap: Jase Bowen Flashes Power in the Minors, AFL

Pittsburgh Pirates first base/outfield prospect Jase Bowen followed up a strong 2023 minor league season with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League

In the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Jase Bowen. The Norwood, Ohio, native was drafted out of Toledo Central Catholic High School. Bowen chose the Pirates over his verbal commitment to play both football and baseball at Michigan State.

The right-handed hitting Bowen spent the majority of the 2023 season at 22-years-old, turning 23 in September. He started the season with the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, but was promoted to Double-A Altoona late in the season.

Bowen played first base, right field, left field, and center field during the 2023 season. Across the two minor league levels, he hit for a .255/.327/.467 slash line with a 114 wRC+, .212 isolated slugging (ISO), 23 home runs, 18 doubles, and 6 triples.

Most of the damage from Bowen was done at the High-A level. Bowen hit for a .257/.333/.469 slash line with a 117 wRC+ and a .211 ISO in 493 plate appearances in 110 games played with the Grasshoppers. He hit 23 home runs, 15 doubles, and 4 triples with Greensboro.

Bowen had just 33 PAs in 8 games played with Altoona last season. In these 33 PAs, he hit for a .219/.242/.438 slash line with a 77 wRC+ and a .219 ISO. While he did not hit a home run with the Curve, he did hit 3 doubles and a pair of triples.

After the minor league season ended, Bowen played for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. In the AFL, Bowen had 111 PAs in 25 games played. Bowen had a strong offensive showing with the Rafters hitting for a .290/.355/.500 slash line with 5 home runs, 5 doubles, and 2 triples.

Bowen is a little talked about, but intriguing prospect in the Pirate farm system. When the 2024 season begins he will likely be back with the Curve. If Bowen can take the success he had in the AFL this past fall and trasnlate that into similar success with Altoona, then he should be able to find himself with Triple-A Indianapolis before the end of the season and be on the doorstep of the majors.

If Bowen's power can continue to develop, then he can certainly have a future in the majors. The fact that the Pirates do not have any sort of long-term answer at first base could work in Bowen's favor as well.