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Better know your Blue Jays 40-man: Bowden Francis

MLB: APR 06 Cubs at Brewers
Not Bowden Francis
Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Bowden Francis (wouldn’t it make more sense if his name was the other way around, Francis Bowden? I’ve known some people named Francis, I’ve never met a Bowden. There is a town in Alberta with that name, with a prison) (hey, I gotta pad this somehow, I know nothing about this guy, we don’t even have a picture of him) came to us, along with Trevor Richards in the Rowdy Tellez trade (just to finish off this subject, there has never been a player with the first name Bowden in the MLB, three with the last name Bowden).

Bowden a 25-year-old RHP (he turns 26 on April 22, so likely before the season starts). He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2017 draft by the Brewers.

He was #25 on FanGraphs’ list of top 42 Brewers prospects just before the trade:

Francis has had statistical success through the upper minors by relying on plus command of three fringe pitches. He added a slider for this year and now has four distinct offerings, of which the slider has quickly become the best. It’s also hard, which is important because Francis’ curveball is a low-70s rainbow, averaging about 73 mph, while the slider has been up to 87 and sits a bit below that. He has a power pitcher’s style with soft stuff, but Francis feel to pitch is excellent and I think he can stick toward the back of a rotation.

After the trade, he made 13 starts and 1 relief appearance with a 4.19 ERA. In 73 innings he allowed 56 hits, 15 home runs, 31 walks and 71 strikeouts.

The Jays added him to the 40-man back in November in preparation for the Rule 5 draft, which, apparently, is likely not to happen. It is kind of a ripoff for teams that added guys to their rosters. Oh well.

When he was added Matt said:

MLB Pipeline had him at the backend of the Jays’ Top 30, but from what I saw he doesn’t really have any standout pitch and consequently, I’m surprised to me him prioritized. I’d have him more in the rotation depth tier.

And yeah, I wouldn’t have added him. But, who knows, he could make a spot start or two if we have an injury or two in the rotation. He is a big guy (6’5”, 225) and gets strikeouts in the minors.

PECOTA has Bowden making 3 starts for the Jays (well, 3 starts in the majors), a total of 14 innings, with a 5.23 ERA.

Poll

If the over/under on Bowden Francis’ innings is 14 I’d take the

This poll is closed

  • 28%
    Over
    (69 votes)
  • 71%
    Under
    (175 votes)
244 votes total Vote Now

Poll

If there was a Jays 40-man Sporcle, would you have gotten Francis?

This poll is closed

  • 18%
    Yes
    (38 votes)
  • 68%
    No
    (140 votes)
  • 13%
    I would have gotten half points for flipping his first and last name
    (27 votes)
205 votes total Vote Now

Poll

On September 1 will Bowden still be in the Blue Jays system?

This poll is closed

  • 60%
    Yes
    (141 votes)
  • 39%
    No
    (92 votes)
233 votes total Vote Now