The Philadelphia Phillies selected Vanderbilt right-handed pitcher Cody Bowker as the 100th choice (third round) in the 2025 MLB Draft. Bowker is the third VandyBoy selected in this year’s draft, and the second Commodore pitcher off the board.
Bowker, originally from Bowdoinham, Maine, was a standout pitcher for Georgetown as a freshman and sophomore. After a successful sophomore season in which he had a 3.00 ERA over 48 innings, the right-hander accessed the transfer portal and arrived in Nashville.
Heading into the 2025 season, Bowker was already getting noticed—D1Baseball ranked him as the 78th-best starting pitcher in the country—and he definitely lived up to the hype. In his first outing of the year, he tossed four shutout innings and struck out six against UC Irvine. Just a week later, he followed that up with five no-hit innings against St. Mary’s. From there, Bowker became a steady and reliable part of Vanderbilt’s top-tier weekend rotation.
Over the course of the season, he started 16 games, logging 72 innings. His final stat line included a 3-5 win-loss record and a 4.38 ERA. While the numbers might not jump off the page, his performance showed real potential.
Now part of the Phillies organization, Bowker brings a unique look to the mound with a semi-sidearm delivery that keeps hitters off balance. His fastball sits in the low 90s but stands out thanks to its high spin rate and deceptive movement. When paired with a solid set of off-speed pitches, Bowker’s arsenal gives him a strong chance to thrive as he works his way up through the minor leagues.