Jun. 30—The only constant in minor league baseball is change. Just when a player becomes accustomed to a level — or plays well enough to become a fan favorite — the big league affiliate challenges him with a promotion to a higher level.
It’s just the nature of the business.
Such was the case of the short stay in Spokane for catcher/first baseman Jack O’Dowd. After just 34 games at High-A, the 25-year-old slugger was promoted on Tuesday to Double-A Hartford.
O’Dowd tore up the Single-A California League in 22 games earlier this season before continuing his dominating ways across the Northwest League. While in Spokane, he hit .359/.451/.664 with nine homers and 38 RBIs.
His quick pace through the Colorado Rockies’ affiliates is a stark contrast to his collegiate career. In four seasons at Vanderbilt and University of Texas, O’Dowd hit .257/.330/.423 with just 12 home runs. He was n’t drafted and started his pro ball in the independent Pioneer League with Billings.
Something clicked in his one season with the Mustangs . O’Dowd hit .333/.449/.642 in 84 games with 22 homers and 91 RBIs — both team records.
That earned O’Dowd a minor league free -agent contract with the Rockies, an organization that was uniquely familiar with him — Jack’s father Dan O’Dowd was general manager with the Rockies from 1999-2014, guiding the franchise to the 2007 World Series.
Here is a Q&A with O’Dowd, edited for space, conducted June 23 at Avista Stadium before his promotion.
S-R: After your success last season in independent ball, what was your reaction to the Rockies’ interest in signing you?
O’Dowd: I’ve had a good understanding of the Rockies org for a while now, and there’s people inside of the organization that I’ve known for a while. That makes it, you know, more comfortable for me, and easier to find my footing right away when I first started with them. It’s personal to me. It’s the team that I grew up rooting for, and going to all the games. It’s always going to mean something to me and I just hope that someday I can help make the Rockies better. … I mean, I would have been happy with any opportunity, absolutely. But the fact that it was the Rockies just hit home a little more, and it was definitely a full circle moment.
S-R: With your dad spending so much time with the Rockies during your childhood, one has to imagine you’ve spent plenty of time running around the major league clubhouse at Coors Field when you were a little kid.
O’Dowd: I almost grew up inside of a major league clubhouse, which is a cool and unique experience that I’m grateful to have. I got to kind of watch and observe a lot of really great players that have come through with the Rockies. … Seeing guys like Todd Helton and Troy Tuowitski and (Nolan) Arenado and Trevor Story — there’s so many, good players that I was lucky enough to watch when I was growing up. I feel like it helped me learn a lot about having a good work ethic and how to play the game the right way. It was definitely unique and cool experience, for sure.
S-R: Spring training must have been a cool experience for you, pulling on the Rockies uniform for real.
O’Dowd: Spring training was always my favorite time of year. It was a little bit more laid back than the regular season. I got to do a little bit more with the team, and I was just always in and around the complex. And so, to now be back in Salt River for spring training this past year it was really cool for me, because that place meant a lot to me when I was younger.
S-R: How much of the game behind the game did you learn from your dad?
O’Dowd: I had a first-hand view of how hard this game is. I got to experience the ins and outs of the business world of baseball, and how ultimately it’s a cutthroat business. I always looked up to my dad and his work ethic, and how much he cared for the people inside of the organization and the people he worked with. But also, just how much he cared about trying to put out the best product possible and build the best team possible. So many hours went into that for him and I think I learned a ton about what it takes to work at such a high level like he did.
S-R: Did he give you any guidance when you were coming out of college and deciding what opportunities you wanted to explore?
O’Dowd: He knew kind of the place I was in mentally. I wasn’t in a great spot. It was definitely a tough year for me, but you know, I think that he knew that there was something in me that wanted to keep playing. I think that ultimately he left the decision up to me, and he wanted me to do what my heart was telling me to do. He definitely would have supported me no matter what I decided to do, and he was there for me through all that. But at end of the day, it was an easy decision for me to keep playing and give baseball another shot.
S-R: You mentioned the period of your life between your senior year and that following summer being tough. How disappointing was it to not get drafted?
O’Dowd: I think going into my senior year of college, I felt good about where I was at, and I felt like I was going to have a good year and end up getting drafted. It didn’t work out that way. My senior year (.207 with five homers in 44 games at Texas) didn’t go the way I wanted it to. I struggled throughout that year, and when that was over I knew I wasn’t going to get drafted, and I wasn’t really sure what was next. … I ended up in the Pioneer League playing indie ball, and that’s kind of where things started really turning a corner for me, and I kind of started to come into my own a little bit more. I had a really good year there last year, and ended up getting the opportunity with the Rockies in the off season this year.
S-R: Was it one of those ‘light bulb’ moments where something just clicked for you, or was there a progression?
O’Dowd: I think it was just a culmination of years of hard work, and trying to figure out why I struggled and, you know, how to tap into what I always thought was in there. It definitely wasn’t one moment. It was a build up, and it was a long, long process — longer for me than most guys, for sure.
S-R: As well as you’ve hit in Fresno and Spokane this year, do you think the organization will be looking to challenge you with a promotion in the near future?
O’Dowd: I know I might be a little bit older, especially when I was in Fresno. It took me a couple more years than most guys to kind of figure out my game a little bit. … I think what I’ve done really well so far this year is just separate days, separate at-bats, to where I’m just really trying to show up and have a good day that day, and then the next day have a good day that day, and ultimately just stacking up days together to where I can put together a good season. But I try not to focus too much ‘big picture.’ I just kind of try and take it day by day and be the best I can that day, and try and get better that day.
S-R: In your short time here you’ve become something of a social media darling. What do you think of all that?
O’Dowd: The (Indians) social media team is great. They make me laugh almost every day. I mean, they’re so creative. I don’t even know how they think of some of the stuff that they think of, so I get a kick out of it. And it’s great for people back home, and my friends back home, and family to keep up with me. I like social media a lot for that. It makes it easier for people to see how I’m doing. At times, it can be overwhelming, for sure, especially when we’re playing every single day. … Social media was big in college as well — Texas had a big social media presence, so I’ve learned over the years kind of how to manage it, and I get a big kick out of it.
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