READING, Pa. — Cody Bowker was in New York with his High-A teammates two weeks ago, finishing a six-game series between the BlueClaws and the Brooklyn Cyclones. He had already risen up a level this season after beginning the year at Single-A Clearwater. So when he heard the news that another promotion was coming, it was “surprising” for the 2025 third-round draft pick.
Bowker, 22, was officially promoted to Double-A Reading on Aug. 18, marking a quick elevation through the Phillies’ system in his first full year as a professional. In his first two starts, the right-hander has met the challenge, allowing only two runs in 10 innings. Bowker has recorded two wins down the stretch for a Fightins club that is vying for a spot in the Eastern League postseason.
“I’m just thankful to be here, to be honest,” Bowker told Phillies Nation on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. “Just thankful for the opportunity and especially on a team that’s pushing for some playoffs. I’m just excited to be a part of that, and just here to help in any way I can.”
He’s certainly been a help with his contributions so far. Bowker, with his low three-quarters arm slot, made his Reading debut on the road against the Portland Sea Dogs on Aug. 20, and he pitched five innings of one-run ball. He followed it up six days later in a home start versus Binghamton with five more innings while allowing one run. Bowker has surrendered just five hits and two solo home runs in Double-A. He’s walked no batters and struck out five.
“In the short sample, he’s showing a lot of confidence on the mound,” Fightins manager Al Pedrique said. “The kid, in two outings, he’s been throwing a lot of strikes, attacking the zone. He has what it takes on the mound to be aggressive, challenge the hitter, and that’s what he’s done so far.”
Pedrique said that he’s been impressed with Bowker’s preparation and presence in his limited time around him. The former Vanderbilt Commodore now has a 4.22 ERA in 22 minor-league outings, but he’s found better results as he’s faced stiffer competition this year. He had a 5.90 ERA in 12 games for Clearwater, a 3.28 ERA in eight starts for Jersey Shore and now a 1.80 ERA for Reading.
“You can tell that his stuff is good,” Pedrique said. “He moves the ball around the plate, changes speed real well. So we hope that he continues to improve. He’s young, and I think he’s heading in the right direction.”
Bowker should be lined up for two more starts in the regular season for the Fightins (63-62, 33-23 in the second half). They currently lead the Eastern League Northwest in the second half by 3.5 games with 12 games left, and their magic number to clinch a postseason spot for the first time since 2019 is nine.
That’s a thrill for Bowker, who is suddenly a key rotation piece at a crucial moment for Reading.
“It’s a testament to the guys here,” he said. “They’re super welcoming, and we all became best friends super quickly. I think that’s kind of a testament to why we’ve been playing the way we’ve been playing, and I’m just excited to be part of it.”
He may not have been expecting his season to turn out the way it has over the past couple weeks, but Bowker said he’s planning to soak in as much as he can with the Fightins. He’s getting a crash course on what it takes to succeed in the upper minors and what a playoff race looks like. He’s taken it in stride to this point.
“That’s what you prepare for, and those are the situations you want to be in,” Bowker said. “And at the end of the day, kind of getting thrown off the deep end a little bit into some of those situations, that’s where you do the most learning, too.”
