Dexter Fowler

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William Dexter Fowler

Bats Both, Throws Right
Height 6' 4", Weight 175 lb.

High School Milton High School
Debut September 2, 2008

Born March 22, 1986 in Atlanta, GA USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Dexter Fowler has been a highly-rated prospect from 2004-2007. In 2008, he made his major league debut with the Colorado Rockies.

Fowler was a high school star, hitting .457 and slugging 1.028 with 23 steals and 14 home runs in 105 AB. Baseball America and USA Today named him a first-team high school All-American outfielder. Entering the 2004 amateur draft, Baseball America rated him as the #10 position player prospect. He fell to the 14th round, though, because he had made a commitment to the University of Miami and teams did not want to risk a lost pick if Fowler went to college. The Colorado Rockies picked him in the 14th round of the draft and signed him for a $925,000 bonus to set a new record for a signing bonus for that round as he took the money instead of heading on to Miami. His bonus was equivalent to a high second-round pick.

Fowler made his professional debut with the 2005 Casper Rockies, hitting .273/.357/.409 with 18 steals in 24 tries. He struck out in 73 of 220 AB. Baseball America still rated him as the #7 prospect in the Northwest League. In 2006, the 20-year-old switch-hitter batted .296/.373/.462 for the Asheville Tourists with 92 runs and 43 steals (caught stealing 23 times). He was 9th in the South Atlantic League in average. He didn't come close to leading his team in steals - Eric Young Jr. swiped over twice as many. He tied for third in the league in steals. Fowler was named the SAL's "Most Exciting Prospect" by Baseball America and the league's #10 prospect, between Brandon Erbe and Deolis Guerra.

Fowler hit .266/.380/.376 for the Waikiki Beach Boys that winter. He was named to the Hawaii Winter Baseball All-Star outfield, joining John Mayberry, Jr. and Nyjer Morgan, both considerably older players. In 2007, Dexter batted .273/.397/.367 in 65 games for the Modesto Nuts with 20 steals in 31 tries. A fractured right hand cut his season short. Baseball America named him the best defensive outfielder in the California League and the #10 prospect overall, right behind Chris Davis. They also named him the 3rd-best Rockies prospect.

In the 2007 Arizona Fall League, Fowler only hit .224 for the Peoria Javelinas. Baseball America rated him as the loop's #9 prospect, between Jordan Schafer and Taylor Teagarden.

Fowler was the USA's main center fielder in the 2008 Olympics and hit .250/.300/.429. His best game came in the 4-2 win over the Taiwan national team when Fowler tripled, doubled, scored and drove in runs. Despite hitting leadoff at times, Fowler did not try to steal in 9 games. The USA finished with a Bronze.