UPDATE: Bowens signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Orioles in June. The MLB Draft was cut down to five rounds.

He dominated in high school and won championships at Central. Now, it’s time for CCSU Baseball’s TT Bowens to take the next step in his career: getting drafted to the major leagues.

Bowens, like every other spring athlete at CCSU and across the country, had his season cut short this year. Though CCSU Baseball has won two Northeast Conference Championships and an NCAA Tournament game since TT joined the program in 2017, this year’s team felt different to Bowens.

“We had very high expectations towards this season both individually and as a team,” Bowens said. “It’s weird. It sucks what happened. In my four years here, this was probably the best team I’ve played for.”

While the 2020 season will be a strange “what if?” to look back on, Bowens must now look ahead to the next level.

“It’s always been a lifelong goal to get drafted and play professional,” Bowens said. “If I get the opportunity, especially coming from a school like Central, there’s really no other option.”

Bowens has been in contact with a number of MLB teams that have interest in him, but the uncertainty of this year’s draft is the only thing holding him back.

While the MLB Draft is normally one of sports’ biggest with 40 rounds, this year’s will be cut to either five or ten rounds and will be held virtually. Even though there’s potentially 35 fewer rounds, Bowens still thinks there’s a good chance his name will be called-virtually of course.

“As long as they do have it this year I think my chances are strong,” Bowens said.

While teams have kept Bowens and other prospects in the loop as much they can, Bowens knows it’s a bit of a waiting game until June 10.

As for now, there is no way teams can see him play or watch him hit, so Bowens has stayed busy doing his own workouts.

“It’s hard with everything being so limited, but I’ve been able to go down to a local high school or down by the water and get some good workouts in,” Bowens said. “I’ve been try to simulate being in a season and playing everyday. My main goal is longer workouts so my body can get used to being on the field for 9 innings.”

Bowens is no stranger to hard workouts. In his time at Central, Bowens has had two seasons cut short due to ACL tears in both legs, the second coming while he was nearly finished recovering from the first.

Bowens worked himself back up to game shape and returned for the final 32 games of last season. He batted .376 through the rest of the year helped bring the Blue Devils to their first NCAA Tournament win on the back of some impressive offense.

When asked about his favorite memories from Central, Bowens laughed. “I’ve got a few,” he said, but picked the end of the 2017 season, his freshman year, as his favorite.

“We weren’t even expected to make the playoffs,” Bowens said. “We came together as a team and played so well the last few weeks of the season and then we went on and swept the tournament. It was a great feeling. There’s a lot of great memories from here that I’ll never forget.”

In the 2017 NEC Tournament, the last thing Bowens looked like on the field was a freshman. The outfielder batted .636 and was named MVP of the tournament, still merely scratching the surface of his accomplishments at Central.

But for now, there’s a good chance #24 won’t be taking the field for the Blue Devils again. Instead, you’ll find him on the field of his dreams, that of the team that selects him in this year’s MLB Draft.