Ben Rowen #38

Benjamin Ramon Rowen • Went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA (16 ER/54.0 IP) and six saves as a senior at Virginia Tech. • Played two seasons at Los Angeles Harbor College, earning team MVP and All-South Coast Conference First Team as a sophomore. • Pitched at Palos Verdes High School in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (graduated 2007). • Played four years as a defenseman for the Los Angeles Junior Kings hockey team.

Started the year with the Toronto Blue Jays organization...Was claimed on waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers on August 4...Appeared in four games with the Brewers in September...Had a 2.45 ERA (three earned runs/11.0 innings) in 13 games with the Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League. 

Appeared for four different clubs, including Bowie Baysox (AA), Norfolk Tides (AAA) and Iowa Cubs (AAA) before finishing the season with the Buffalo Bisons (AAA). • Posted a 1.32 ERA on the road (5ER/34.0IP)…Did not allow a run in any away games after joining the Bisons (10.2 IP) on August 5…Finished with a 4.91 ERA (4ER/7.1IP) at Coca-Cola Field. • In outings in which he pitched 2.0 innings or more posted an ERA of 0.94 ERA (3ER/28.2 IP). • Threw shutout baseball in first 12 Bisons' appearances, August 5-30 (15.0 IP, 8 H, BB, 8 SO). • Only 4 runs allowed as a Bison came in same outing, Sept. 2 s. (L, 1.1 IP, 4 H, SO). • Matched his career-high after tossing 4.0 innings on May 7 vs. Richmond.

Combined to go 6-1 with a 0.69 ERA (5 ER/65.2 IP), 13 saves, and 58 strikeouts against 17 walks over 51 relief appearances with Frisco (AA) and Round Rock (AAA)…ranked 3rd among Texas farmhands in saves…held right-handed batters to a .178 average (23-129) and left-handed hitters to a .176 average (18-102) … limited opposition to a .136 average (8-59) with RISP and stranded 25 of 33 (75.8%) of inherited runners… posted a 3.40 groundout/air out rate, 6th-highest in all of minor league baseball … compiled a 29.2-inning scoreless streak that spanned May 6 to July 14 with Frisco and Round Rock.

Spent entire season with Hickory (Low-A)…held opposing righthanded batters to a .223 average (31-139), while opposition hit .246 (55-224) overall…stranded 10 of 18 inherited runners, with batters hitting .243 (17-70) with runners in scoring position…of 26 runs allowed, 13 were unearned…did not join Crawdads until May 21 and went 0-2 with a 4.41 ERA (8 ER/16.1 IP) over first 7 games...was 5-2 with a 1.05 ERA (5 ER/42.2 IP) over next 26 appearances.

Spent first professional season with Spokane (Short-A)…held opposing right-handed batters to a .149 average (11-74), while opponents batted .155 (18-116) overall…opponents hit .207 (6-29) with runners in scoring position…earned Rangers Minor League Reliever of the Month for August, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/15.0 IP) and .065 average against (3-46) in 9 appearances…did not allow a run over final 10 outings, a span of 16.0 innings.