When MLB Pipeline published their first pass at a Top 100 2021 Draft prospect list, there were plenty of familiar names atop the list: the powerful Vanderbilt rotation duo of Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, power-hitting college catcher Adrian Del Castillo, slick-fielding prep shortstop Jordan Lawlar. Sneaking into the top half of the first round, however, was a relatively new face on the scene: Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser.
It’s hard to find a first-round draft talent that’s a surprise, but Cowser is, through a combination of factors, about as close to that as you’ll get. It starts, as many stories do, deep in the heart of Texas, where Cowser was somewhat overshadowed at Cypress Ranch High School, part of a network of Houston-area schools that consistently produce draft picks; Corbin Martin is an alum, as are 2019 draftees J.