Dark horse Orioles bullpen candidate has stuff and pedigree to be massive trade steal

When it comes to reclamation projects, having good raw stuff matters a whole lot. While no one has high expectations from the wily veteran arm that has lost his fastball and is getting by with his guile, having a guy who has struggled, but who also has the ingredients to dominate with some fixes, can lead to massive career turnarounds and huge bargains for their team. The Baltimore Orioles are hoping they have found such a diamond in the rough in Jackson Kowar.

A former first-round pick by the Royals from back in 2018, Kowar has had a rough road in his career thus far. Command issues have followed him for years, and after a series of trades before the 2024 season ended with Kowar on the Mariners, he almost immediately required Tommy John surgery. Kowar did finally return, but apparently didn't do enough to impress Seattle, as they designated Kowar for assignment in late January.

A series of roster moves ultimately resulted in the Orioles scooping Kowar up for cash considerations, and while his days as a top starting pitching prospect are pretty much over, Baltimore could still end up with a high upside bullpen arm for next to no cost.

Jackson Kowar has a real chance at cracking the Orioles' bullpen, and that could be a massive win

The Orioles' bullpen competition is a tricky one to handicap, as there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to handedness and minor league options (or the lack thereof). Kowar is one such bullpen arm that doesn't have any more options, but just being able to keep him around is not the only potential benefit from giving Kowar a chance.

When Kowar is at his best, his four-seam fastball/slider combo gets a lot of weak contact and gets batters to chase out of the zone. Unfortunately, actually being at his best has proven challenging and has led to inconsistency. However, the one thing that Kowar has always done well is throw the ball hard with an average of 97.3 mph on his fastball in 2025. Velocity isn't everything, and he will still have to fool hitters, but having that sort of raw arm talent gives Baltimore something real to work with and build off of.

At the moment, it sounds like Kowar has a real shot of making the roster. The first few spots in the Orioles bullpen are pretty set, but there are several spots that could go in a number of directions this spring. Assuming Kowar pitches well in camp and shows he can hit his spots when he has to, don't be shocked if you see his name when the Opening Day roster is announced.