This workhorse barely batted an eye in moving up to Birmingham
Riley Gowens
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
6´4´´
225 pounds
Age: 25
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 44
2024 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -0.5 years
SSS rank among all right-handed starters in the system 11
Overall 2024 stats 7-6 ⚾️ 25 starts ⚾️ 122 IP ⚾️ 3.84 ERA ⚾️ 1.172 WHIP ⚾️ 145 K ⚾️ 46 BB
Riley Gowens is a righty starter taken in the ninth round by the Atlanta Braves in last summer’s draft. But let’s not bury the lede here, he like this author is a Libertyville High product, and if the unforgettable career of Evan Skoug tells you anything, it’s that Wildcats don’t disappoint. That he went on to play at the University of Illinois makes Gowens’ drafting by Atlanta no more than an anomaly: Riley was born to be in the White Sox system, and there really was no choice but to include him in Chris Getz’s first big trade as club GM.
Gowens showed his stuff right away in the Atlanta system, getting his feet wet in five games in ACL and Low-A ball and crushing his younger (~two years) competition (1.15 ERA, 0.957 WHIP). Proving that scouting is not just about the numbers, however, Gowens wasn’t quite a star at the U of I, with a 5.69 ERA and 1.384 WHIP during his time in Champaign.
In his first full campaign as a pro, Gowens proved to be a bit of a hoss, and one with some finer-pointing to his game as well. The ERA solid, and he kept batters off of bases. Perhaps most boffo for Riley is in his near-even split of the season his numbers for the playoff-bound Barons simply shined: Getting through at least four innings in all but two of 12 starts, with a 3.14 ERA.
One challenge looms for Gowens, and it’s a biggie — sidestepping the big fly. The righty gave up 13 homers on the season, one per nine innings, and that explains how a fella squeezing battings for just 7.2 hits per nine still had an ERA nibbling at 4.00.
Gowens’ Baseball Cube player ratings
Durability 82 (+1 from last season)
Strikeouts 79 (-2)
K/BB 77 (+1)
Hittable 68 (+1)
vsPower 68 (+1)
Walks 66 (+1)
Average 73.33 (+0.50)
Gowens holds an average rating that is fourth-best in our Top 100 so far, and none of the players he trails has logged as much as Double-A time.
Given the bevy of arms in the White Sox system, the righthander might not break camp with a deserved promotion to Charlotte, but it’s only a matter of time before he’s donning that Knights teal and possible nibbing at the heels of the South Side.
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
42. Prelander Berroa, RHRP
43. Sam Antonacci, 2B
44. Adisyn Coffey, RHRP
45. Jarold Rosado, RHRP
46. Ryan Galanie, 1B
47. Trey McGough, LHRP
48. Ricardo Brizuela, RHSP
49. Lucas Gordon, LHSP
50. Aaron Combs, RHRP (traded to Phillies on January 1)
51. DJ Gladney, RF
52. Abraham Núñez, CF
53. Andre Lipcius, 1B
54. Shawn Goosenberg, 1B
55. Caden Connor, 1B
56. Mario Camilletti, 2B
57. Jake Peppers, RHSP
58. Ryan Burrowes, SS
59. Garrett Schoenle, LHRP
60. Jackson Appel, C
61. Tommy Vail, LHSP
62. Bryce Collins, RHRP
63. Tanner McDougal, RHSP
64. Stiven Flores, C
65. T.J. McCants, CF
66. Gil Luna, LHRP
67. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
68. Zach Franklin, RHRP
69. Drew Dalquist, RHRP
70. Nick Altermatt, RHRP
71. Carson Jacobs, RHRP
72. Alec Makarewicz, 1B
73. Jacob Burke, CF
74. Calvin Harris, C
75. Terrell Tatum, CF
76. Phil Fox, RHRP
77. Reudis Diaz, RHSP
78. Jurdrick Profar, SS
79. Drew McDaniel, RHSP
80. Michael Turner, C
81. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
82. Braden Shewmake, SS (designated for assignment on January 1, claimed by Royals)
83. Connor McCullough, RHSP
84. Shane Murphy, LHSP
85. Mikey Kane, 1B
86. Daniel González, LHRP
87. Wes Kath, 3B
88. Pierce George, RHRP
89. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
90. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHRP
91. Chase Plymell, RHRP
92. Eddie Park, CF
93. Loidel Chapelli, 2B
94. Adam Hackenberg, C
95. Adrian Gil, 1B
96. Jared Kelley, RHRP
97. Lyle Miller-Green, 1B
98. Marcelo Alcala, RF
99. Drake Logan, LF
100. Cole McConnell, CF