Chris Rowley

Chris Rowley
Born	(1990-08-14) August 14, 1990 Atlanta, Georgia
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2013–2016
Rank	First lieutenant

Undrafted after graduation, Rowley was invited by the Toronto Blue Jays to play for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays for the remainder of the 2013 season, after which he would begin his five-year active duty obligation to the United States Army.[6] In nine games played, he pitched to a 4–0 record, 1.10 ERA, and 39 strikeouts in 322⁄3 innings.[7] Rowley began his military service assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was later assigned to Bulgaria and Romania as a Field Artillery fire support officer.[8][9][10] While assigned to Bulgaria for Operation Atlantic Resolve, first lieutenant Rowley pitched to his company's senior medic to keep his arm in shape.[11][12] After serving 30 months in the military, Rowley's application for an exception to the remainder of his commitment was approved on January 22, 2016, and he was assigned to Individual Ready Reserve.[9][13] He played the entire year with the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays, and posted a 10–3 win–loss record, 3.49 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in a career-high 1232⁄3 innings.[7] He was assigned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to begin the 2017 season, and earned a promotion to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on June 19.[14][15] Rowley initially pitched out of the bullpen for Buffalo, and joined the starting rotation on July 4.[16]

On August 12, 2017, Rowley was called up from Triple-A Buffalo to start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.[17] He pitched 51⁄3 innings and allowed a single run on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts, and earned the win in the 7–2 victory.[18] In his rookie season, Rowley recorded a 6.75 ERA and 1–2 record in 6 games. Rowley was outrighted off the 40-man roster on November 20, 2017.[19] On January 24, 2018, the Blue Jays invited him to spring training as a non-roster invitee.[20] He did not make the club and was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the year. Rowley was added to the active roster on July 14, 2018.[21] In two games for Toronto in 2018, Rowley allowed four runs in 2⁄3 innings pitched.

On July 23, 2018, Rowley was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers.[22] He spent the remainder of the season with the Triple-A Round Rock Express, logging a 2–3 record and 3.46 ERA in 7 games. On September 10, Rowley was outrighted off of the 40-man roster.[23] He declared free agency on October 5, 2018.[24]

On February 28, 2019, Rowley signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres organization. He was assigned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, where he pitched to a 11.02 ERA in 16.1 innings of work, missing much of the year due to injury. He became a free agent following the 2019 season.[25]

On January 28, 2020, Rowley signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins organization.[26] Rowley did not play in a game in 2020 due to a career-ending shoulder injury and the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][27] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.

Following minor league players' unionization in September 2022,[30] Rowley authored a law review article on the labor relationship in Minor League Baseball; the article, titled "It’s Past Time: Unionization and Labor Management in Minor League Baseball," is forthcoming in the University of Colorado Law Review.[1]