The pick marked the second time on the first day of this year’s draft that the Phils selected a high school player committed to Chase Utley’s alma mater, UCLA. They took outfielder Mickey Moniak with the top overall pick in the draft just hours earlier.
Gowdy, a 6-foot-4 175-pound right-hander, has a lean frame that could fill out nicely. He features a 90-94 MPH fastball along with a strong slider, a good change up and mechanics that are described as smooth. With a 1.59 ERA along with 93 strike outs and just five walks in 56 2/3 innings in his senior season at Santa Barbara High School, Gowdy was impressive all year.
He was a member of the USA 18U team that won a gold medal last autumn in Japan.
It’s said that the Phillies love Gowdy’s ceiling and see him having the potential to become a front line pitcher.
