With the 13th pick in the 2016 draft, the Rays have selected 3B/RHP Josh Lowe from Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia. Mock drafts were somewhat similar, with ESPN and Baseball America projecting that Lowe would be selected 24th overall, followed by MLB.com predicting 25th.
Lowe's rise up draft boards is likely due to his status as a two-way player, and the Rays' willingness to be creative with him going forward. Lowe could serve as a long-term replacement for veteran third baseman Evan Longoria.
Many people have noted Lowe’s skills as a pitcher and a position player. John Sickels at Minor League Ball says that Lowe’s performance this spring has teams looking at him more as a hitter. The draft video on MLB.com says that Lowe can be streaky at the plate, but he has raw power, plus speed and arm strength.
Meanwhile, as a pitcher, the Florida State commit is said to have a clean delivery, throwing in the low-90s and occasionally touching the mid-90s. As for a secondary, Lowe is working on a breaking pitch that the MLB.com draft video says has the makings of a solid slider and has a feel for a changeup.
Prior to the draft, Lowe was ranked highly on top prospect lists, with Baseball America ranking him 11th and MLB.com ranking him 17th. He has been compared to Colby Rasmus.