Sophomore outfielder Logan Sowers has been able to make his presence felt on the diamond no matter where or when he has competed.
The slugger was highly praised coming out of high school, smashing 11 home runs in his senior season while being named Indiana Mr. Baseball. Since his arrival to IU, Sowers has impressed everyone who has watched him play starting with a strong freshman campaign.
“He’s just got great bat presence,” junior relief pitcher Jake Kelzer said. “He doesn’t let the game or the at-bat get too big on him he’s more focused on what he has to do on that pitch, that’s why he’s so good.”
Sowers hit six home runs while driving in 36 runs last season, landing on the All-Big Ten Freshman team. With high expectations entering his sophomore season, he didn’t disappoint. After the first two games of the season Sowers already had two home runs.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, their cleanup hitter was sidelined after just the fifth game of the season with a wrist injury. Initially, IU Coach Chris Lemonis figured his best power threat wouldn’t be sidelined for long and inserted him back into lineup against Seton Hall the following weekend.
Following two strikeouts and a pop out, Lemonis removed Sowers from the game noticing his star sophomore wasn’t fully healthy. It took 11 games but the Hoosiers were finally able to get Sowers back in the lineup, and at this point, it’s safe to say he’s over his wrist injury.
“I was talking to coach and he said with hand guys it always affects your timing a little bit because you really cant do anything during the time that you’re off,” Sowers said. “The timing probably effected that a little bit, but now I feel ready to go.”
Sowers recorded three hits in his first three games back in the lineup before demolishing two home runs against Indiana State.
Since his return the Sowers has hit .285 with three home runs and six RBIs.
“He’s had a couple of really good games, but I think the injury has hurt him a little bit,” Lemonis said. “I told him ‘Man when you hit, we win so I wish you would hit a little bit more,’ but he’s feeling good and I’m looking forward to him getting on a streak.”
The McCutcheon High School product has been noticed at the national level as well over the course of his amateur career. He was selected in the 31st round of the MLB draft by the San Diego Padres coming out of high school but elected to honor his commitment to IU instead.
Entering this season, Baseball America named Sowers the No. 21 prospect for the 2017 MLB draft. Lemonis credited IU’s early struggles to not having his Sowers in the lineup every day.
“The injury for him was part of our slow start as he’s one of the better physically looking guys in the box in the country,” Lemonis said. “The presence and the stuff and just having him back has helped out.”
