Twins Claim RHP Jackson Kowar, Reuniting Former Charlotte Christian Teammates
There’s something in the water at Charlotte Christian High School in North Carolina. The private school has produced more than its fair share of high-level athletes-names like Steph and Seth Curry on the hardwood, and major leaguers Daniel and Luke Bard on the diamond.
Even Garrett Bradbury, now anchoring NFL offensive lines, was once a power-hitting catcher for the Knights. Back in 2013, Bradbury was behind the plate catching a tall right-hander named Bailey Ober, now a mainstay in the Twins’ rotation.
And now, another name from that 2013 Charlotte Christian team is joining the Twins organization. On Tuesday, Minnesota claimed right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. Seattle had designated Kowar for assignment after acquiring catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Twins last week.
So yes-Ober and Kowar are teammates once again, nearly 13 years after their high school days.
Let’s rewind a bit. Bradbury chose football and headed to NC State, a decision that’s worked out just fine.
Ober went on to star at the College of Charleston, earning freshman All-American honors before the Twins drafted him in 2017. Kowar, meanwhile, was the top prospect of the bunch.
Drafted out of high school by the Tigers in 2015, he opted instead for the University of Florida, where he became one of the most coveted arms in the country.
Fast forward to 2018, and the Royals went all-in on pitching. They used their first five picks on college arms, starting with Kowar’s Florida teammate Brady Singer at No. 18 overall.
Kowar followed at No. 33.
Then came Daniel Lynch (No. 34), Kris Bubic (No. 40), and Jonathan Bowlan (No.
58). On paper, it was a rotation of the future.
In practice, it’s been a mixed bag.
Singer has been the most consistent of the group, posting at least 3.0 WAR in three of the last four seasons before being traded to the Reds in exchange for Jonathan India. Lynch started 51 games between 2021 and 2023 before shifting to the bullpen, where he’s made 68 appearances over the past two years.
Bubic missed big chunks of 2023 and 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery but bounced back strong-earning an All-Star nod in 2025 and finishing with a 2.55 ERA over 116 1/3 innings. Bowlan, meanwhile, had a brief stint in the majors in 2023 and 2024 before carving out a bullpen role in 2025.
He was traded to the Phillies in December for veteran lefty Matt Strahm.
Then there’s Kowar, whose road has been the rockiest of the bunch.
The talent has never been in question. Kowar came out of Florida with electric stuff and a fastball that touched the upper 90s.
But at the major league level, he’s struggled to find consistency. He made his debut in 2021 with the Royals, starting eight games and appearing once in relief.
The results were tough-an 11.27 ERA and an 0-6 record. In 2022, he moved to the bullpen but still posted a 9.77 ERA over seven outings.
Things improved slightly in 2023: 23 appearances, a 2-0 record, but still a 6.43 ERA.
Kowar then missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2025 with the Mariners and showed some signs of progress-posting a 4.24 ERA across 15 appearances.
It wasn’t dominant, but it was a step forward. In total, Kowar has pitched in 54 MLB games (91 innings) with an 8.21 ERA, a 1.93 WHIP, 8.9 strikeouts per nine, and 5.7 walks per nine.
The raw stuff, though, still jumps off the page. Pre-surgery, Kowar’s fastball sat at 95-96 mph.
That ticked up to 96.9 mph in 2023, and after his return in 2025, he was averaging 97.3 mph. That’s premium velocity, and the Twins clearly believe there’s something to tap into.
He also started leaning more on his slider last season, averaging 86.2 mph with the pitch. Notably, he all but abandoned his changeup-a pitch he once threw 30-43% of the time-using it just 5% of the time in 2025.
That shift may have been part of Seattle’s effort to simplify his arsenal and let the fastball-slider combo play up.
Now, he’s heading to Minnesota, where the Twins will take a closer look at what’s left in Kowar’s tank-and whether they can unlock the potential that made him a first-round pick.
With Kowar’s addition, the Twins’ 40-man roster is now full. But more importantly, they’re taking a low-risk shot on a high-upside arm who, at just 27, still has time to write a new chapter. And for fans of baseball symmetry, it’s a reunion nearly 13 years in the making: Ober and Kowar, back on the same team, chasing big league success together once again.