A Day to Remember: Brandon Lowe
This story appeared in the 6th edition of Cookbook, the official gameday ingredients of the Montgomery Biscuits.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — June 9, 2015, is a day Brandon Lowe will never forget.
Lowe, despite being told he would not be selected, was watching Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft when suddenly an explosion of emotion filled him. The University of Maryland second baseman had been drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round, spurring the realization of a childhood dream.
“It was just a rush of emotion,” reminisced Lowe. “Once that (the news) got out there, my phone blew up. I’m pretty sure it went from like 75 percent battery to zero in five minutes. It just got drained because everyone was sending congrats.
“It was one of the greater days that I’ve had.”
As Lowe learned of the selection, he was initially surprised. It was just two days earlier that his immediate future became unclear at Davenport Field in Charlottesville, Va.
On June 6, the Terrapins were facing the Virginia Cavaliers in the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals. Having lost the first game, Lowe, who was batting third, hoped to provide a spark. After lining a ball through the infield for a single, the 2015 All-Big Ten first-teamer twisted his left leg upon attempting to return to first base. While Lowe limped to the bag, something was clearly wrong and his draft stock suddenly hung in the balance.
“I had gone from thinking I was going to go high [in the draft] to spending a day and a half in the hospital doing MRIs,” said Lowe. “Looking back on it, it is so much a blur that I feel like I did my injury and was drafted on the same day.”
What was diagnosed as a broken fibula ended Lowe’s redshirt sophomore campaign at Maryland. During his freshman year, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) two days before the regular season opener. Thus, a second severe injury led to some concern from Major League scouts and interested teams. However, once the announcement was made and Lowe became a part of the Rays, the Newport News, Va., native has not looked back while becoming one of the organization’s most promising prospects.
“It feels great to come back and get healthy,” Lowe said. “Working with the Rays’ staff and them getting me back on the field has really helped prepare me for what I have been able to do.”
The past two years have been some of Lowe’s most productive. From winning 2017 Florida State League Most Valuable Player with High-A Charlotte to hitting a home run with Tampa Bay during Spring Training, the left-handed hitter’s prospective expectations only continue to skyrocket. The previous is not considering the way Lowe has played for the Biscuits in 2018.
Entering the month of June, Lowe leads Montgomery in home runs and RBIs. In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays’ #14 prospect had 28 RBIs in May, which pulled him within one of former Biscuit Gabriel Martinez, who had a team record 29 RBIs in May 2008. While his season’s start has been impressive, Lowe remains humble, crediting his teammates for his RBI total and production with runners in scoring position. Though, fellow Biscuits’ second baseman Nick Solak never doubts his platoon partner’s ability to plate him.
“I love hitting in front of Lowe,” said Solak. “If I get on, whether it is a walk or a hit, I know I have a chance to score and he is going to drive me in.”
As the Southern League All-Star Game approaches on June 19, Lowe is a probable selection to represent the Biscuits. Nevertheless, he is only focused on continuing to produce for Montgomery and not becoming fixated on previous statistics.
“I’m just trying to not do too much up there and take advantage of the opportunities I’m getting,” said Lowe. “You can’t look at what you did yesterday because that doesn’t matter. You have to show up and handle your business.”
