Owens was one of two Red Sox rookie starters who made his major-league debut in 2015, and it's no shame that his performance, for now at least, was second-best to that of teammate Eduardo Rodriguez.
In 11 starts, Owens was 4-4 with a 4.57 ERA for the Red Sox, after making 21 starts in Pawtucket over the first four months of 2015. As is often the case with rookie pitchers, Owens was inconsistent at times. In 6 of those 11 starts, he held opponents to one or no runs; in three others, however, he was shelled for seven runs. Part of his struggles may be the result of his big frame. At 6-foot-6, Owens is still learning to control his long limbs and refine his delivery. An offseason weight-tranining program, which added some additional muscle, also resulted in Owens needing some time to adjust to his bulkier physique. He sports a plus-plus changeup, but must gain command of a third pitch to realize success as a starter.
Owens doesn't throw as hard as you might expect for a pitcher of his size -- his fastball usually tops out at 90-91 mph -- but that's somewhat offset by his outstanding changeup and deception in his delivery. The acquisition of David Price this winter has deepened the Red Sox rotation to the point where Owens appeared squeezed out for the start of next season. He has options remaining, however, and could probably use additional time at Triple-A Pawtucket -- until injuries or performance issues offer a spot in the big leagues again. His ceiling isn't as high as Rodriguez's, but he still projects as a valuable mid- to-back-end starter in the majors.
FINAL RATING: Starter