Jackson Kowar

Jackson Kowar Bio

Jackson Alexander Kowar (born October 4, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher currently in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners. Kowar was drafted 33rd overall by the Royals in 2018 out of the University of Florida, where he helped the Gators win the 2017 College World Series. After a difficult start to his MLB career, Kowar has continued to work his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Early Life and Background

Jackson Alexander Kowar was born on October 4, 1996, in Weddington, North Carolina, and grew up in the Charlotte area. He attended Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he became a pitcher on his high school baseball team during his sophomore year, serving as the team’s closer. As a senior, he compiled a 10–1 win–loss record and a 0.20 earned run average (ERA) with 118 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched, drawing national attention as one of the top high school arms in his class.

That senior season was strong enough that the Detroit Tigers selected Kowar in the 40th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign with the club. Kowar had originally committed to play college baseball at Clemson University as a sophomore, but he was granted his release following a coaching change and instead chose to attend the University of Florida.

Path to Baseball

At the University of Florida, Kowar quickly established himself as one of the top college pitchers in the country. As a freshman in 2016, he appeared in 12 games for the Gators and posted a 3–0 record with a 3.37 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 34 2⁄3 innings, though his season ended in May due to a collapsed lung. He was roommates at Florida with Brady Singer, who would later become a teammate on the Kansas City Royals.

In 2017, Kowar went 12–1, tying Florida’s best single-season record in school history, with a 4.08 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 19 games. He earned the save in the College World Series championship game, pitching 1 2⁄3 scoreless innings in his only relief appearance of the season to help Florida win the 2017 national title. As a junior in 2018, Kowar was named to the All-SEC second team and went 10–5 with a 3.04 ERA in 18 starts, cementing his status as a first-round prospect.

Jackson Kowar Career

Early Career (2018–2020)

The Kansas City Royals selected Jackson Alexander Kowar with the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft, and he signed for $2.1 million. He made his professional debut that July with the Lexington Legends of the Single-A South Atlantic League, going 0–1 with a 3.42 ERA in nine starts.

In 2019, Kowar opened the year with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the High-A Carolina League, where he was named an All-Star. After posting a 5–3 record and 3.53 ERA in 13 starts, he was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Texas League, finishing 2–7 with a 3.51 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 74 1⁄3 innings. Kowar did not appear in a game in 2020 after the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, training instead at the Royals’ alternate site.

Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2021–2023)

Kowar began the 2021 season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East, going 5–0 with a 0.85 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 31 1⁄3 innings across six starts. On June 6, 2021, the Royals announced that he would be promoted to the majors as the starting pitcher against the Los Angeles Angels, and he was officially selected to the active roster the following day. His MLB debut was difficult: Kowar gave up four earned runs on three hits with two walks and three wild pitches before being removed in the first inning after recording only two outs.

Across 9 appearances and 8 starts during his rookie campaign, Kowar posted a 0–6 record and 11.27 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 30 1⁄3 innings. Despite those struggles, he received the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year award from the Royals, given to the franchise’s best minor league pitcher. In 2022, he split time between Omaha and Kansas City, going 4–10 with a 6.16 ERA in 20 starts for the Storm Chasers while limping to a 9.77 ERA in 7 relief appearances for the Royals.

Kowar began 2023 in Omaha and was recalled to Kansas City four times, sticking with the club after being called up on August 17. In 23 relief appearances, he posted a 6.43 ERA with 29 strikeouts across 28 innings. His time with the Royals organization ended on November 17, 2023, when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitcher Kyle Wright.

Seattle Mariners Era (2024–2025)

On December 3, 2023, Kowar was traded by Atlanta, along with Cole Phillips, to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales, and Evan White. His first season in Seattle was cut short on March 10, 2024, when the Mariners announced he had suffered a tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery, ending his year and marking his first career stint on the injured list.

Kowar was placed back on the 60-day injured list prior to the 2025 season and made rehabilitation appearances for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Mariners. He was activated on May 28, 2025, and went on to post a 2–0 record with a 4.24 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 17 innings in 15 appearances for Seattle. Kowar was designated for assignment by the Mariners on January 27, 2026.

Driving Style and Strengths

Across his professional career, Kowar has shown the strike-throwing profile of a starting pitcher, leaning on a four-seam fastball and a sharp breaking ball while attacking hitters early in counts. As a reliever with the Royals and Mariners, he has worked to keep the ball down in the zone and induce weak contact, though his command has been tested by injuries and the long recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Notable Events and Milestones

Among the defining moments of Jackson Alexander Kowar’s career are his save in the 2017 College World Series championship game for the University of Florida, his selection as the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and his receipt of the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year award following his 2021 rookie season. His comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and his subsequent return to the major leagues with Seattle stand out as the most recent milestones.

Jackson Kowar Career Highlights

Kowar’s professional career has taken him from Single-A Lexington through the upper minors and into the major leagues with the Royals and Mariners, with brief stops in the Atlanta and Baltimore organizations along the way. He has been recognized as a top prospect and a minor league All-Star, even as he has battled inconsistency and injuries at the highest level.

Minor League and Major League Highlights

Kowar’s first full professional season came in 2019, when he was named a Carolina League All-Star with the Wilmington Blue Rocks before finishing the year with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In the minors, he also earned the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year award after his 2021 campaign at Triple-A Omaha.

In the majors, Kowar’s first full season was 2023 with the Royals, when he appeared in 23 relief outings, and his most recent big league work came in 2025 with the Mariners, when he went 2–0 with a 4.24 ERA across 15 appearances out of the Seattle bullpen. His overall MLB line through 2025 stands at a 4–6 record, an 8.21 ERA, and 90 strikeouts.

Other Performances

Beyond regular-season play, Kowar logged the signature performance of his amateur career in the 2017 College World Series, earning the save that clinched Florida’s national championship. He has also represented the United States as a collegiate and minor league All-Star, including his Carolina League selection in 2019.

Jackson Kowar Family

Family Background and Baseball Lineage

Jackson Alexander Kowar comes from a baseball family. His father, Frank Kowar, was a minor league pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization in 1990, giving Jackson a direct connection to the professional game from a young age.

Personal Life

Kowar married Caroline Kowar (née Kerns) in 2024. The couple has been a steady presence throughout his transition from the Royals organization to the Mariners and, most recently, the Baltimore Orioles organization.

2025 Season Performance

Jackson Alexander Kowar’s 2025 campaign was effectively a redemption season. After beginning the year on the 60-day injured list while recovering from Tommy John surgery, he made a series of rehabilitation appearances for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Mariners before being activated on May 28, 2025.

Once back in the Seattle bullpen, Kowar delivered one of the most encouraging stretches of his major league career, going 2–0 with a 4.24 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 17 innings across 15 appearances. The performance showed a sharper fastball and better command than he had displayed in earlier big league stints.

Despite that momentum, the Mariners designated Kowar for assignment on January 27, 2026, leading to a brief waiver claim by the Minnesota Twins and a quick trade to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations. He was designated for assignment by the Orioles on March 25 after failing to make the Opening Day roster and cleared waivers the following day, when he was sent outright to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.