Seattle Mariners Provide Solid Injury Update on Previous Key Trade Acquisition

Jackson Kowar, a former top prospect in baseball, missed all of 2024 with Tommy John surgery. He's on the mend and could be an option for the M's bullpen in 2025.

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Jackson Kowar (37) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre on Sept 10, 2023. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Speaking at the winter meetings in Dallas on Monday, Seattle Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto provided solid injury updates on pitchers Matt Brash and Jackson Kowar.

Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times:

Dipoto said that Matt Brash is ahead of schedule on his recovery from TJ. Jackson Kowar is on schedule for his return. OF prospect Jonny Farmelo (ACL) won't be back till midseason.

Dipoto said that Matt Brash is ahead of schedule on his recovery from TJ. Jackson Kowar is on schedule for his return. OF prospect Jonny Farmelo (ACL) won't be back till midseason.

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) December 10, 2024

For Brash, this news is consistent with everything that we've heard recently. The team expects that he could be back as early as late April, and when he does come back, he'll be a major weapon for the bullpen.

Though he'll have to be eased into a workload, and will be carefully monitored, his presence alone should help provide the M's with more stability.

The 26-year-old Brash is one of the nastiest pitchers in all of baseball, complete with a triple-digit fastball and a wicked slider. He went 9-4 in 2023 for Seattle with a 3.06 ERA and led baseball in appearances with 78. He made his major league debut in 2022 and made five starts before heading to Triple-A and resurfacing as a dynamite reliever.

As for Kowar, he was part of the return from the Atlanta Braves last offseason in the deal that sent Marco Gonzales and Jarred Kelenic to Atlanta.

A first-round pick out of the University of Florida, he's appeared in 39 major league games over three seasons. He's gone just 2-6 with a 9.12 ERA but the Mariners are clearly banking on the talent. If the M's are able to develop him in the way they've developed Paul Sewald, Drew Steckenrider, Collin Snider and Justin Topa before him, then they could have another solid bullpen arm.

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