Musketeers Reunited After Orioles Add Both to 60-Man Player Pool
Zac Lowther, Rylan Bannon both called to report to Bowie over weekend
Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications
9/6/2020
BOWIE, Md. – A pair of Musketeers standouts moved one step closer to a Major League Baseball debut, both getting the call to report to Bowie, Md., as part of the Baltimore Orioles 60-man player pool over the weekend. Left-handed pitcher Zac Lowther was added on Friday, September 4, 2020, and infielder Rylan Bannon got the call the following day.
“Incredibly excited for both Zac and Rylan,” said Xavier head coach Billy O’Conner. “Both have shot through their organizations with incredible success at every level they’ve played—Zac with the Orioles since the draft, and Rylan first with the Dodgers, and then with the Orioles as well once he was traded over in the Manny Machado deal.”
The @Orioles have added Rylan Bannon to the 60-player pool and he will report to Bowie, where he played last season with @BowieBaysox. Here is my story on Xavier product for @MiLB and Bowie; he was also with Norfolk in 2019.@NorfolkTides @XavierBASE https://t.co/mPIzyxYegF
— David Driver (@DaytonVaDriver) September 5, 2020
Lowther became Xavier’s highest-ever draft pick in 2017, going in the second round (No. 74) to Baltimore. Following his first full year in the organization, he earned the Orioles Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year after splitting the season between the Advanced-A Frederick Keys and Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds. Lowther has a 2.26 ERA in 61 appearances in the minors, with 380 strikeouts for his career. Last season, Lowther posted an ERA of 2.55 in 26 starts with Double-A Bowie, striking out a career-best 154 on the way to a 13-7 record.
The #Orioles have added lefty pitching prospect Zac Lowther to their 60-man player pool.
— Paul Mancano ?? (@PaulMancano) September 4, 2020
Here’s a refresher on Lowther’s profile. pic.twitter.com/0tTuwcKW57
Bannon, the 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year, was an eighth-round selection in 2017 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was traded to the Orioles organization in 2018. In 2019, Bannon joined Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides mid-way through August after spending the first part of the season in Bowie with the Double-A Baysox. Bannon hit .317/.344/.549 during his stint in Triple-A, collecting 17 RBI and scoring 18 runs in 20 games for the Tides.
Infield prospect Rylan Bannon has been added to the #Orioles’ 60-man player pool.
— Paul Mancano ?? (@PaulMancano) September 5, 2020
Here’s his #20in20 from May. pic.twitter.com/nnOnk7JppQ
For them to be one step away from a call up to the big leagues this quickly is a testament to the work and preparation they put in during their time here at Xavier and through their pro careers so far.Billy O'Conner
As a Musketeer, Lowther struck out a Xavier-record 123 batters during his final season, ranking fourth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (13.28). Lowther finished 2017 with a 2.92 ERA and a 5-5 record, collecting those 123 strikeouts in just 83.1 innings. He allowed just 48 hits and a .164 opponent batting average during his junior campaign, with just 15 hits allowed in six BIG EAST starts as he recorded a 2.25 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 32 innings of BIG EAST action. Lowther was a two-time All-BIG EAST selection, including earning a spot on the First Team in 2017.
At Xavier, Bannon was a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection, capping off his career by batting .339 in 61 games during the 2017 season. In his final season as a Musketeer, Bannon led the BIG EAST in slugging percentage (.633), home runs (15) and total bases (140) as Xavier won a second-straight BIG EAST Tournament Championship and made a return appearance in the NCAA Regional Finals. For his Xavier career, Bannon batted .276 in 591 plate appearances, collecting 93 RBI and scoring 95 runs.
Both Lowther and Bannon were integral parts of the Musketeers’ 2016 BIG EAST Regular Season title and back-to-back BIG EAST Tournament Championships in 2016 and 2017. The pair also helped Xavier advanced to the 2016 NCAA Regional Championship in Nashville, a first for the program, and then helped the Musketeers make a repeat appearance in the NCAA Regional Championship in Louisville in 2017.
Several years later, both still have an indelible mark on the Xavier program.
“Both Zac and Rylan were ‘program changers’ for us at Xavier,” said O’Conner. “From a growth standpoint, success and talent compounds itself within programs, and what those guys were able to accomplish in their time at Xavier, with the help of some other great players and teammates, has elevated the program to where we are today. Those two were core pieces on back to back regional final teams in 2016 and 2017, and I firmly believe they will be the first two of a wave of big leaguers coming through our program.”
Moreso than anything though, Zac and Rylan are great people and great teammates, and that’s what makes me the most proud to have them representing Xavier on such a big stage.Billy O'Conner
