John Bowker (baseball)

John Bowker (baseball)

John Brite Bowker (born July 8, 1983) is an American Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman who plays for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 205 pounds (93 kg). Previously, he has played for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed.

Bowker was drafted out of Long Beach State University in the third round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. He spent the next few years in their minor league system and ranked among the Eastern League leaders in several hitting categories in 2007. He was called up by the Giants shortly after the 2008 season began, and he became the first San Francisco-era Giant to hit a home run in his first two major league games. He was the Giants' starting first baseman for much of the season and finished the year batting .255 with 10 home runs in 111 games. In 2009, Bowker won the Pacific Coast League batting title with a .342 average. However, he batted .194 in 31 major league games. He began 2010 as the Giants' right fielder but lost the job soon after the season started. He was optioned to Fresno in June and was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline. Bowker was called up by the Pirates in September and finished the 2010 season batting .219 with 5 home runs in 67 games. He started the 2011 season as a reserve outfielder on the Pirates' team but was designated for assignment and sent to the minors after April. He batted .306 with 15 home runs and 76 RBI in 106 games with their International League team before getting traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of August. Used mainly as a pinch hitter, Bowker had no hits in 13 at bats with Philadelphia. Following the season, he was released so he could sign with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.