Jackson Kowar

Kowar began 2019 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, with whom he was named a Carolina League All-Star. After pitching to a 5-3 record with a 3.53 ERA in 13 starts, he was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, with whom he finished the year. Over 13 starts with the Naturals, Kowar went 2-7 with a 3.51 ERA, striking out 78 over ​74  ⁄3 innings.

The Kansas City Royals selected Kowar with the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed for $2,147,500. He made his professional debut with the Lexington Legends. In nine starts, he went 0-1 with a 3.42 ERA.

As a freshman in 2016, Kowar appeared in 12 games, pitching to a 3-0 record and 3.37 ERA with 44 strikeouts in ​34  ⁄3 innings pitched. His season was ended in May as he was sidelined due to a medical condition not related to baseball. He returned in 2017 and went 12-1, tying Florida's best single-season record in school history, along with posting a 4.08 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 19 games (18 starts). During the 2017 College World Series, Kowar earned the save in the championship game, pitching ​1  ⁄3 scoreless innings, clinching Florida's 2017 national title. In 2018, as a junior, Kowar was named to the All-SEC Second Team. He finished his junior year with a 10-5 record and a 3.04 ERA in 18 starts.

Kowar attended and graduated from Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He originally signed to play college baseball for Clemson University as a sophomore, but was granted his release following a coaching change. As a senior, he compiled a 10-1 record and 0.20 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 71 innings. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 40th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign and instead enrolled at the University of Florida.

Jackson Alexander Kowar (born October 4, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.