2010 MLB Draft: Kaleb Cowart Excited To Be Joining Los Angeles Angels
LA Angels Insider.com
Kaleb Cowart was excited to finally hear his name called as his dream of becoming a major league baseball player became closer to reality. The 6'3 190 lb third baseman and starting pitcher was taken by the Angels with the 18th pick in the 2010 MLB draft.
As a high school star at Cook Country (Adel, GA) Cowart excelled both and as a starting pitcher and third baseman. As a pitcher he was 10-1, 1.05 ERA with 113 strike outs in 73 innings. At third base he batted .653 with 11 homers, 59 RBI and 55 runs scored. He also stole 36 bases in 36 attempts.
But make no mistake, the Gatorade Player of the Year sees himself as a future third baseman in the major leagues. Speaking with the media after his selection Cowart made it very clear his first goal is to be an everyday player and that pitching is something he sees as a fall back position.
LA Angels Insider was able to catch up briefly with Angels 1st round pick Kaleb Cowart after his selection by the Angels during his post draft conference call yesterday evening.
Eric Denton - 'Who was your role model growing up"?
Cowart - "Chipper Jones, we're both switch hitting third baseman and I hope to mature into a player like Chipper Jones".
Not a bad choice to try and model a career after, and if the Halos have found another Chipper Jones the franchise will look back on this day with great fondness.
In his self scouting report, Kaleb says he is a hitter who has more raw power from the left side of the bat, with more gap power as a natural right handed batter. Cowart says he is not afraid to go the other way. Defensively he has a good arm and decent speed. He considers himself a baseball player who loves the game.
With a scholarship to Florida State in hand it is not certain he will sign or go to school. Perhaps the Angels drafting him as a position player will help him make the decisions, but Cowart said if he had been drafted as a pitcher it wouldn't have disqualified him from skipping college and starting a professional baseball career.
Monday was an exciting and happy day for Kaleb and his family. He can think about the business side after the dust has settled. For now Cowart can enjoy what he has accomplished up this point in his life and hopefully he will soon begin his professional career with a "first class organization", the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
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