Tampa Bay Rays: 1st Round Draft Pick Josh Lowe Out Until May

The Tampa Bay Rays eleventh-best prospect (according to MLB Pipeline) will not be ready to play until May.

ST. PETERSBURG — Tampa Bay Rays‘ 2016 first-round draft pick won’t be ready until May. Outfielder Josh Lowe is slugging first baseman, Nate Lowe‘s little brother.

Nate set the minor leagues on fire with 27 homers and 102 RBI in 2018. Nate isn’t the only one in the Lowe family with a bright future in Tampa Bay. His younger brother, Josh was picked in the first round by the Rays in 2016.

Like his brother, Josh is 6-4, but at two years Nate’s junior he also weighs forty pounds lighter at 205lb. The Georgia native hits from the left-hand side like his older brother.

Josh Lowe cranked up the power last season in AA-Montgomery with a .442 slugging percentage, 18 homers, 23 doubles, four triples, 30 stolen bases, 70 runs, and 62 RBI.

He had a great showing in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .327/.379/.558 with two homers and four steals.

After the season, Lowe had a procedure done to clean out his shoulder. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has reported that Lowe’s recovery will not be complete until May.

It was reported that he has begun throwing but is not yet able to hit.

Josh Lowe brings a combination of power and speed. There’s no reason to rush him back as the Rays are loaded with outfield talent right now.

They currently have Austin Meadows, Hunter Renfroe, Kevin Kiermaier, Jose Martinez, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, Randy Arozarena, and a couple of utility players that can play the outfield if needed.

While this comes as disappointing news to the Rays, considering the strides the former 13th overall pick made in the 2019 season.

The Rays are hopeful that he’ll be able to come back healthy and ready to work his way up the talent-rich Tampa Bay minor league system.

Pitchers and catchers report one week from today.