Adam Loewen

[WizStorm]

What a sad story of a top pitching prospect with arm troubles. Looks like he's given up on pitching altogether and now will try make the miraculous jump to position player like Rick Ankiel did. I certainly hope he can salvage his career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 03111.html

The Baltimore Orioles released former first-round draft pick Adam Loewen yesterday, though the club hopes to re-sign him to a minor league contract once he clears waivers.

The move is a formality as Loewen, trying to transition from a pitcher into a position player, unlikely will be claimed by another team within the two-day window.

"We're not anticipating any issues," team president Andy MacPhail said.

Because Loewen signed a major league deal after Orioles drafted him in 2002, he was technically out of options, preventing the Orioles from simply sending him to the minor leagues.

According to sources in the organization, the move saves the team roughly $700,000, which would have been Loewen's salary next season.

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Adam Loewen is an outfielder and former pitcher currently with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He bats and throws left-handed.

After one season with Chipola College, Loewen signed a Major League Baseball contract worth $4.02 million with the Baltimore Orioles as the No. 4 pick of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, the highest a Canadian player has ever been drafted.

In 2004, he was named their top prospect by Baseball America. In early 2006, he was moved down to being the team's second best prospect.

Loewen garnered international attention on March 8, 2006, when he started for Canada against the star-studded United States team in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. In 3 2/3 shutout innings, Loewen held hitless such veteran American luminaries as Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, Vernon Wells, and Derrek Lee. He ended up earning the win as Canada won the game 8-6.

During the 2006 season, Loewen was called up by the Orioles. In his first four Major League starts, he faced former Cy Young Award winners: Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine and Roy Halladay twice. This made Loewen the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to face Cy Young winners in his first four starts.He was injured early in the 2007 season, suffering a stress fracture to his right elbow and was later placed on the 15-day disabled list.

In spring training in 2008, he led the majors in walks, with 19 in 16.2 innings.

After injury and control problems during the 2008 season, Loewen was converted into a relief pitcher. However, in July 2008, he suffered a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, causing him to end his pitching career.

In the middle of the 2008 season, he was ruled out for the rest year following his pitching injuries.On July 19, 2008, Loewen announced that he would no longer be a pitcher due to injuries to his elbow, and that he will pursue a career as an outfielder or first baseman.

Loewen was reported to begin the transformation from pitcher to outfielder on September 8, when he'll start working with hitting coach Terry Crowley. He'll stay with the team for a week before being sent to the instructional league. He was released on October 20, 2008.

Loewen signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on October 24 as he continues his transition from pitcher to outfielder.