Josh Lowe

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #2 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: In 2016, the Rays snatched Josh Lowe in the first round before picking his brother Nate in the 13th round. hitting Nate, a first baseman, made it to the majors in 2019, but Josh should have a longer Rays career, because Nate was quickly traded to the Rangers. Josh made his own major league debut in 2021 after a breakout season in Triple-A, where he hit .291 with 22 home runs, 78 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and a .916 OPS to lead Durham to the Triple-A East championship.
  
  Scouting Report: The Rays and Lowe have benefitted from a patient development plan. Lowe was one of the most improved hitters in the Rays organization in 2021. He figured out how to shorten his swing and better use the whole field when he fell behind in counts without hindering his ability to drive the ball when he’s ahead of the pitcher. Lowe now does a better job of yanking the ball when pitchers try to bust him inside. He still trades some batting average for power, but he has managed to find a balance and now projects as a fringe-average hitter with plus power. Every other aspect of his game is plus or better. He plays a plus center field with long gliding strides. He also has a plus arm and has turned into a threat on the basepaths. His 26 steals came in 26 tries.
  
  The Future: Lowe’s step forward in 2021 should have him poised to play a role for the Rays in 2022. His opportunities will largely depend on how many of the club’s big league outfielders return, but his power, speed and defense give him the versatility to play any outfield position and also provide options for a team that always is making moves.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #16 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of first baseman Nate Lowe, whom Tampa Bay traded to the Rangers in December, Josh was a first-round pick out of high school as a two-way third baseman/righthander. The Rays moved him to the outfield after his first pro season, reasoning that his speed was a better fit in center. Lowe was supposed to miss time in 2020 as he recovered from shoulder surgery, but the delayed start meant he was ready for the alternate training site. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe is a big league-ready center fielder. He is a plus defender with plus speed, and his plus arm fits in right field as well. Lowe's athleticism and defense should get him to the majors, but his bat is what could hold him back from a significant role. He's a fringe-average hitter with swing-andmiss and timing issues. His swing is a little grooved. He has struggled to handle pitchers who can locate up-and-in, as he prefers to get his long arms extended. Pitchers who do stay away can find that his average power gives him the ability to line balls the other way, and he yanks balls down-and-in over the fence.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lowe should be at least a fourth outfielder, but unlike most potential fourth outfielders, he has impact potential. With three plus tools on his scouting report, Lowe could be a star if he takes a big step forward at the plate, but that's a big ask for any hitter.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #11 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Lowe was an athletic third baseman and pitcher in high school, but the Rays moved him to center field as a pro, wanting to better use his plus speed and range. The brother of Rays first baseman Nate Lowe, Josh is much more athletic but not as bat savvy. The younger Lowe had his best season as a pro, ranking among the top 10 in the Double-A Southern League in a multitude of categories.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe can run, throw, field and drive the ball. The only question has always been how much he will hit. Lowe's swing is a bit grooved, and he struggles to stay inside the ball. He aims to drive balls pitches low and on the outer half where he can extend his arms, but if a pitcher comes inside with velocity, he can get tied up. Lowe is a little passive at times at the plate and doesn't use his legs particularly well. His 27 percent strikeout rate is adequate considering his power potential.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a plus runner who can play all three outfield positions, Lowe can be a productive big leaguer even if he doesn't hit for much average. But his lofty ceiling depends on him continuing to make significant strides at the plate. He should have a solid floor as a useful part-time outfielder. Lowe is expected to miss the first two months of the 2020 season recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #16 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The 13th pick in the 2016 draft, Lowe saw his older brother Nate emerge as a significant prospect with a breakout 2018 season that included a trip to the Futures Game. Josh's season wasn't as enjoyable. He showed up stronger, but it didn't pay off in on-field results.
  
  Scouting Report: If Lowe can be an average hitter, his other tools will ensure he's an impact big leaguer. He's a plus runner and a plus defender in center field with an above-average arm. Lowe also has long shown plus raw power. But there's reason to worry about Lowe's ability to hit. The Rays worked to get Lowe to hit the ball in the air more often and he did, but it didn't pay off in extra-base hits. Lowe's season statistically was worse than 2017, but there are reasons for hope. He struck out less and walked more and he's shown steady improvement in picking out hittable pitches. But he's failing to square up hittable pitches in the zone. Some scouts believe he got too uphill in his swing, and his swing can get long.
  
  The Future: Lowe is one of the most physically gifted players in the team's system. He still could be an impact everyday regular if it all comes together, but he has considerable work to do at the plate.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #11 prospect in 2018
  The Rays double-dipped with the Lowe family during the 2016 draft, taking Josh out of high school with the 13th overall pick and his older brother Nathan in the 13th round out of Mississippi State. A two-way player who was projected to pitch and hit at Florida State, Josh had a promising pro debut, ranking as the eighth-best prospect in the Gulf Coast League and the 11th-best in the Appalachian League in 2016. Shaky defensively at third base, he moved to center field during instructional league and remained there in the low Class A Midwest League, where he struggled early before rebounding to hit .294/.355/.413 after the All-Star break. Lowe is an excellent all-around athlete who generates plus speed as a long-strider. He adjusted well in the outfield and possesses plus arm strength, but needs work on going back on balls hit over his head, as well as on the accuracy of his throws. He has excellent bat speed with quick hands and the potential to hit for power. He tends to swing and miss due to his long arms and needs to find a direct path to the ball while also improving his overall plate coverage. Lowe is young and a work in progress. He'll move to high Class A Charlotte in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #6 prospect in 2017
  Lowe comes from a baseball family. His father David was a fifth-round pick in 1986 and his older brother Nathan, a first baseman, was the Rays' 13th-round pick in 2016 out of Mississippi State. Josh was a prospect as both a hitter and pitcher, offering promising projection with three pitches. The Rays, enamored of Lowe's upside as a position player, selected him 13th overall in June. Lowe has a high-waisted, athletic look with wide, sloped shoulders. He's a lefthanded hitter with plus bat speed and the leverage to generate plus raw power. His hands work well and he has shown the ability to generate hard line drives to the gaps or pull high-trajectory flies over the fence. His long arms and aggressive swings come with swings and misses, but he showed promising strike-zone awareness in his pro debut. Lowe is a plus runner who takes long, graceful strides. He also has plus arm strength. His defense at third base was one of his biggest weaknesses as an amateur, so the Rays tried him in center field in instructional league. While third base may not be out of the question for Lowe, he has excellent tools for the outfield and figures to spend significant time there. His polished offensive skill set could allow him to start at low Class A Bowling Green in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #17 prospect in 2016 draft
  Lowe is one of the best pure athletes in this year's class. He comes from a strong baseball tradition; his father was a fifth-round pick out of high school, and his older brother Nathaniel plays first base for Mississippi State. Lowe showed potential both as a pitcher and as a hitter on the showcase circuit. He has a lean, 6-foot-4 frame with wide, sloped shoulders. Lowe dropped jaws when he displayed his plus-plus raw power during batting practice at the East Coast Pro showcase in August, and hit well in games on the showcase circuit. He does have some swing-and-miss to his game, and has been hot and cold at times this spring, leading different teams to evaluate him differently based on when they've seen him. Lowe is a plus runner and he has plus arm strength at third base, though his defense will need refinement going forward. On the mound, Lowe has shown a promising fastball at 91-94, a plus changeup and a wipeout slider. Some evaluators believe he could be a high draft pick even if he were only a pitcher, but his offensive upside will likely land him in the first round.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #20 prospect in 2019
  Lowe’s older brother Nate is a Rays first baseman who ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Southern League in 2018 and made his major league debut this year. Josh put up a career year with Montgomery this season, belting 18 home runs to more than double his previous best and setting new personal standards with 30 stolen bases and 59 walks. Lowe is a physical, 6-foot-4 athlete who shows all five tools and should maintain above-average speed to stay in center field. Inflicting damage will be no problem for Lowe, who drives the ball to all fields with a short, direct path with double-plus raw power. The challenge will be hitting for average based on his steep lefthanded swing path. Lowe is a plus runner on the bases who has developed into an above-average outfielder after playing third base in high school. His solid-average arm would fit at all three spots.
• 
  Ranked American League #11 prospect in 2016
  As a rising high school senior, Lowe showed explosive tools on the showcase circuit, both as a power-hitting third baseman and as a righthanded pitcher. This spring, he had some hot and cold streaks, and evaluators had mixed opinions on his ability to hit. Enamored of his tools, the Rays chose Lowe with the 13th pick in the draft. Lowe's most exciting tool may be his raw power, which grades as at least plus, especially when he tries to hit home runs at the end of his batting-practice sessions. In game action, he has the ability to drive the ball with authority to the gaps, and he will hit more home runs when he matures and learns to loft the ball. He has a patient approach and takes competitive at-bats. He has long levers that allow him to generate torque in his swing, but those levers also create holes for pitchers to exploit. Lowe's other tools are also exciting. He shows plus speed and arm strength at third base. His hands and reactions drew skepticism from scouts who saw him in Princeton, but he has the physical tools for the position and the athleticism to play the outfield.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #8 prospect in 2016
  Some scouts preferred Lowe as a pitching prospect, but he also had some of the best tools in the 2016 draft as a third baseman. The Rays drafted him 13th overall and signed him for $2,597,500. He performed well in his pro debut, finishing in the Rookie-level Appalachian League. Lowe has a tall, lean, high-waisted frame with a lot of physical projection to be able to add strength. He has plus raw power, which should only improve with physical maturity. He puts himself in a position to track pitches, staying within the strike zone to draw plenty of walks. Lowe's swing is loose, he uses his hands well and has leverage to hit for power, but he has long levers and will have to work to shorten his stroke and cut down on swing-and-miss in the zone. Lowe runs extremely well for his size, with plus speed and a plus arm with excellent carry, though he will have to sharpen his accuracy.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #44 prospect in 2022

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: In 2016, the Rays snatched Josh Lowe in the first round before picking his brother Nate in the 13th round. hitting Nate, a first baseman, made it to the majors in 2019, but Josh should have a longer Rays career, because Nate was quickly traded to the Rangers. Josh made his own major league debut in 2021 after a breakout season in Triple-A, where he hit .291 with 22 home runs, 78 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and a .916 OPS to lead Durham to the Triple-A East championship.
  
  Scouting Report: The Rays and Lowe have benefitted from a patient development plan. Lowe was one of the most improved hitters in the Rays organization in 2021. He figured out how to shorten his swing and better use the whole field when he fell behind in counts without hindering his ability to drive the ball when he’s ahead of the pitcher. Lowe now does a better job of yanking the ball when pitchers try to bust him inside. He still trades some batting average for power, but he has managed to find a balance and now projects as a fringe-average hitter with plus power. Every other aspect of his game is plus or better. He plays a plus center field with long gliding strides. He also has a plus arm and has turned into a threat on the basepaths. His 26 steals came in 26 tries.
  
  The Future: Lowe’s step forward in 2021 should have him poised to play a role for the Rays in 2022. His opportunities will largely depend on how many of the club’s big league outfielders return, but his power, speed and defense give him the versatility to play any outfield position and also provide options for a team that always is making moves.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of first baseman Nate Lowe, whom Tampa Bay traded to the Rangers in December, Josh was a first-round pick out of high school as a two-way third baseman/righthander. The Rays moved him to the outfield after his first pro season, reasoning that his speed was a better fit in center. Lowe was supposed to miss time in 2020 as he recovered from shoulder surgery, but the delayed start meant he was ready for the alternate training site. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe is a big league-ready center fielder. He is a plus defender with plus speed, and his plus arm fits in right field as well. Lowe's athleticism and defense should get him to the majors, but his bat is what could hold him back from a significant role. He's a fringe-average hitter with swing-andmiss and timing issues. His swing is a little grooved. He has struggled to handle pitchers who can locate up-and-in, as he prefers to get his long arms extended. Pitchers who do stay away can find that his average power gives him the ability to line balls the other way, and he yanks balls down-and-in over the fence.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lowe should be at least a fourth outfielder, but unlike most potential fourth outfielders, he has impact potential. With three plus tools on his scouting report, Lowe could be a star if he takes a big step forward at the plate, but that's a big ask for any hitter.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of first baseman Nate Lowe, whom Tampa Bay traded to the Rangers in December, Josh was a first-round pick out of high school as a two-way third baseman/righthander. The Rays moved him to the outfield after his first pro season, reasoning that his speed was a better fit in center. Lowe was supposed to miss time in 2020 as he recovered from shoulder surgery, but the delayed start meant he was ready for the alternate training site. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe is a big league-ready center fielder. He is a plus defender with plus speed, and his plus arm fits in right field as well. Lowe's athleticism and defense should get him to the majors, but his bat is what could hold him back from a significant role. He's a fringe-average hitter with swing-andmiss and timing issues. His swing is a little grooved. He has struggled to handle pitchers who can locate up-and-in, as he prefers to get his long arms extended. Pitchers who do stay away can find that his average power gives him the ability to line balls the other way, and he yanks balls down-and-in over the fence.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lowe should be at least a fourth outfielder, but unlike most potential fourth outfielders, he has impact potential. With three plus tools on his scouting report, Lowe could be a star if he takes a big step forward at the plate, but that's a big ask for any hitter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of first baseman Nate Lowe, whom Tampa Bay traded to the Rangers in December, Josh was a first-round pick out of high school as a two-way third baseman/righthander. The Rays moved him to the outfield after his first pro season, reasoning that his speed was a better fit in center. Lowe was supposed to miss time in 2020 as he recovered from shoulder surgery, but the delayed start meant he was ready for the alternate training site. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe is a big league-ready center fielder. He is a plus defender with plus speed, and his plus arm fits in right field as well. Lowe's athleticism and defense should get him to the majors, but his bat is what could hold him back from a significant role. He's a fringe-average hitter with swing-andmiss and timing issues. His swing is a little grooved. He has struggled to handle pitchers who can locate up-and-in, as he prefers to get his long arms extended. Pitchers who do stay away can find that his average power gives him the ability to line balls the other way, and he yanks balls down-and-in over the fence.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lowe should be at least a fourth outfielder, but unlike most potential fourth outfielders, he has impact potential. With three plus tools on his scouting report, Lowe could be a star if he takes a big step forward at the plate, but that's a big ask for any hitter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Lowe was an athletic third baseman and pitcher in high school, but the Rays moved him to center field as a pro, wanting to better use his plus speed and range. The brother of Rays first baseman Nate Lowe, Josh is much more athletic but not as bat savvy. The younger Lowe had his best season as a pro, ranking among the top 10 in the Double-A Southern League in a multitude of categories.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe can run, throw, field and drive the ball. The only question has always been how much he will hit. Lowe’s swing is a bit grooved, and he struggles to stay inside the ball. He aims to drive balls pitches low and on the outer half where he can extend his arms, but if a pitcher comes inside with velocity, he can get tied up. Lowe is a little passive at times at the plate and doesn’t use his legs particularly well. His 27 percent strikeout rate is adequate considering his power potential.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a plus runner who can play all three outfield positions, Lowe can be a productive big leaguer even if he doesn’t hit for much average. But his lofty ceiling depends on him continuing to make significant strides at the plate. He should have a solid floor as a useful part-time outfielder. Lowe is expected to miss the first two months of the 2020 season recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Lowe was an athletic third baseman and pitcher in high school, but the Rays moved him to center field as a pro, wanting to better use his plus speed and range. The brother of Rays first baseman Nate Lowe, Josh is much more athletic but not as bat savvy. The younger Lowe had his best season as a pro, ranking among the top 10 in the Double-A Southern League in a multitude of categories.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lowe can run, throw, field and drive the ball. The only question has always been how much he will hit. Lowe's swing is a bit grooved, and he struggles to stay inside the ball. He aims to drive balls pitches low and on the outer half where he can extend his arms, but if a pitcher comes inside with velocity, he can get tied up. Lowe is a little passive at times at the plate and doesn't use his legs particularly well. His 27 percent strikeout rate is adequate considering his power potential.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a plus runner who can play all three outfield positions, Lowe can be a productive big leaguer even if he doesn't hit for much average. But his lofty ceiling depends on him continuing to make significant strides at the plate. He should have a solid floor as a useful part-time outfielder. Lowe is expected to miss the first two months of the 2020 season recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Lowe’s older brother Nate is a Rays first baseman who ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Southern League in 2018 and made his major league debut this year. Josh put up a career year with Montgomery this season, belting 18 home runs to more than double his previous best and setting new personal standards with 30 stolen bases and 59 walks. Lowe is a physical, 6-foot-4 athlete who shows all five tools and should maintain above-average speed to stay in center field. Inflicting damage will be no problem for Lowe, who drives the ball to all fields with a short, direct path with double-plus raw power. The challenge will be hitting for average based on his steep lefthanded swing path. Lowe is a plus runner on the bases who has developed into an above-average outfielder after playing third base in high school. His solid-average arm would fit at all three spots.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Lowe comes from a baseball family. His father David was a fifth-round pick in 1986 and his older brother Nathan, a first baseman, was the Rays' 13th-round pick in 2016 out of Mississippi State. Josh was a prospect as both a hitter and pitcher, offering promising projection with three pitches. The Rays, enamored of Lowe's upside as a position player, selected him 13th overall in June. Scouting Report: Lowe has a high-waisted, athletic look with wide, sloped shoulders. He's a lefthanded hitter with plus bat speed and the leverage to generate plus raw power. His hands work well and he has shown the ability to generate hard line drives to the gaps or pull high-trajectory flies over the fence. His long arms and aggressive swings come with swings and misses, but he showed promising strike-zone awareness in his pro debut. Lowe is a plus runner who takes long, graceful strides. He also has plus arm strength. His defense at third base was one of his biggest weaknesses as an amateur, so the Rays tried him in center field in instructional league.
  
  The Future: While third base may not be out of the question for Lowe, he has excellent tools for the outfield and figures to spend significant time there. His polished offensive skill set could allow him to start at low Class A Bowling Green in 2017.