| IP | 9 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 1 |
| WHIP | .89 |
| BB/9 | 2 |
| SO/9 | 10 |
- Full name Rhett Hamilton Lowder
- Born 03/08/2002 in Albemarle, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Wake Forest
-
Drafted in the 1st round (7th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2023 (signed for $5,700,000).
View Draft Report
School: Wake Forest Source: 4YR
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
While Wake Forest has become a pitching factory in recent years, Lowder became the first player in program history to be named ACC pitcher of the year after a 2022 season where he posted a 3.08 ERA in 99.1 innings, with a 25.1% strikeout rate. He followed that up with a dominant showing for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team during the summer, and then in 2023 was among the most consistent pitchers in the country as the Friday night starter for one of the best Wake Forest teams in program history—again winning ACC pitcher of the year honors. Lowder posted a 1.87 ERA through 19 starts and 120.1 innings, with a career-high 30.4% strikeout rate, career-low 5.1% walk rate. He threw at least six innings in 15 of his 19 starts.. He’s large and physical with a 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, an up-tempo windup and a lower, three-quarter slot. There are pitchers with “louder” pure stuff, but it would be hard to find a pitcher with better feel for a legitimate three-pitch mix. He throws a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and has been up to 97 with tons of running life and has pounded the zone at a 70% or better rate in each of the last two seasons. He also has great feel to land a mid-80s, sweepy slider and a mid-80s changeup. Both are consistent swing-and-miss offerings and seem to play off of each other nicely—whether that’s due to Lowder tunneling the trio well or because he simply commands them at will and throws each around a third of the time. Lowder might be nitpicked by some teams because of his running fastball, his relative lack of projection and an extreme-open toe, crossfire landing. Still, he’s posted, has above-average stuff across the board and is one of the safest starting profiles you’ll find in the class.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
BA Grade: 55/High
Track Record: Lowder’s standout 2023 season with Wake Forest ended with a College World Series duel against LSU’s Paul Skenes. Lowder matched Skenes zero for zero in a pitching duel for the ages as both exited with the game still scoreless. That was the only Lowder start all season that Wake Forest didn’t win. His 15-0 record and 143 strikeouts both set school records as he won Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year honors for a second straight season. The Reds drafted Lowder seventh overall and signed him for $5.7 million, about 9% under slot. They decided not to ramp Lowder back up after he signed after he had thrown 120 innings for Wake and starred for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team the previous summer. He’ll make his pro debut in 2024.
Scouting Report: Lowder worked at least five innings in 18 of his 19 starts in 2023 and seven innings in 10 starts, but he did so while never topping 105 pitches in any outing. Lowder has three above-average or plus pitches, and he demonstrates complete confidence in all three. His 93-95 mph above-average four-seam fastball will touch 97 and has plenty of running life. His 93-95 mph two-seam fastball is even more effective because it pairs so well with his changeup, but it’s his above-average slider and plus changeup that give hitters the biggest fits. His 85-88 mph slider is a power pitch with more depth than tilt. His 84-88 mph changeup has excellent deception. Lowder’s front foot is pointed toward the first-base on-deck circle when he lands. It’s unconventional, but it adds deception and hasn’t hindered his plus control.
The Future: Lowder is as close to MLB-ready as any pitcher in the 2023 draft class, and he should move quickly. Scouts generally view him as a relatively safe No. 3 or 4 starter rather than a future ace.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 60
Draft Prospects
-
School: Wake Forest Source: 4YR
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
While Wake Forest has become a pitching factory in recent years, Lowder became the first player in program history to be named ACC pitcher of the year after a 2022 season where he posted a 3.08 ERA in 99.1 innings, with a 25.1% strikeout rate. He followed that up with a dominant showing for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team during the summer, and then in 2023 was among the most consistent pitchers in the country as the Friday night starter for one of the best Wake Forest teams in program history—again winning ACC pitcher of the year honors. Lowder posted a 1.87 ERA through 19 starts and 120.1 innings, with a career-high 30.4% strikeout rate, career-low 5.1% walk rate. He threw at least six innings in 15 of his 19 starts.. He’s large and physical with a 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, an up-tempo windup and a lower, three-quarter slot. There are pitchers with “louder” pure stuff, but it would be hard to find a pitcher with better feel for a legitimate three-pitch mix. He throws a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and has been up to 97 with tons of running life and has pounded the zone at a 70% or better rate in each of the last two seasons. He also has great feel to land a mid-80s, sweepy slider and a mid-80s changeup. Both are consistent swing-and-miss offerings and seem to play off of each other nicely—whether that’s due to Lowder tunneling the trio well or because he simply commands them at will and throws each around a third of the time. Lowder might be nitpicked by some teams because of his running fastball, his relative lack of projection and an extreme-open toe, crossfire landing. Still, he’s posted, has above-average stuff across the board and is one of the safest starting profiles you’ll find in the class.
