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Cody Bowker is about to start year two this fall at Georgetown University, as a student. Bowker also has that hyphen-athlete after his name, as the outfielder and right-handed pitcher begins his second season with the Hoyas baseball team.
Back home in Bowdoinham, Maine, his mom Patrizia, says she and her husband Mark always stressed the student part of student-athlete. Bowker was a three-sport athlete at Thornton Academy traveling from Bowdoinham to Saco daily, which is 100 miles roundtrip. Bowker, the 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year in Maine, also led his team to the Class A State Championship win that same year - the first in Thornton Academy's history.
Bowker has already had an impact as a Freshman for the Hoyas, contributing to the team's historic season. That impact is just what Georgetown's Head Baseball Coach Edwin Thompson was looking for from Bowker. "Coach T" who is a native of Jay, Maine, and a long-time supporter of baseball in Maine and had this to add about Bowker, "He has grown on and off the field with how he carries himself and he is truly a great team player which he has been since high school. The growth from last fall to the Big East tournament game is tremendous and you can't really measure everything he grew in but how he has gone about his business day-to-day is truly terrific to see and we are looking forward to working with him in year two!"
Whether it is a coach we spoke with or a teammate, it's clear Cody is a treasured part of the Hoyas team. Former teammate Jake Bloss, who was drafted in round three of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros said, "He's extremely talented, humble, and a lot of fun to be around. He's got the foundation to really put himself and the program on the map. If he keeps going the way he's going, he should be a high pick after his Junior year."
Other teammates we spoke with call Bowker their version of Shohei Ohtani for his two-way abilities and dominant presence on the mound.
Hoyas Pitching Coach George Capen said, "It's an absolute pleasure to work with Cody. The word "coachable" is one of those intangibles that you look for in a player and Cody exemplifies what that word means. He is passionate and dedicated to his craft with a relentless work ethic. Couple that with his high-level athleticism and it's truly special to see him compete day in and day out to not only continue to improve himself as a player but contribute heavily to helping our team win ball games."
Coach Thompson added, "Cody is a competitive player that everyone likes to be around. He is the type of person you want at bat or on the mound in a big moment of the game. He has a unique skill set that allows him to hit well and pitch at a very high level. Coaching him is fun because of his passion and commitment to be the best he can be, it shines through in everything he does."
We caught up with Cody, who played for the Sanford Mainers this summer in the NECBL League.
BEY: How long have you been playing baseball? Did you always know you were going to play baseball? Cody: I have been playing baseball since 1st grade. I always loved playing but it actually wasn’t till I was 13 years old in a championship game where I realized I really wanted to play. In that game I learned how much I love to compete and after that became deeply invested in the game. After that moment I knew I wanted to invest my time into the game. I enjoy all parts of the process from the workouts to actually playing!
BEY: Tell us about your year as a Freshman at Georgetown University. Cody: It was the most learning I’ve ever done in my entire baseball career. Playing at the highest level forces so much more out of you especially if you want to earn playing time. This year was the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball. Practicing and competing at such a high level with guys who I can call my family meant so much to me. I’ve learned so much and had so much fun. This year brought memories that will last a lifetime.
BEY: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make going from high school to college.
Cody: For me it was being away from home and having time for myself. I had to learn what to do with my time in order to succeed. My goal is to play professional baseball, which takes a ton of hard work, so balancing that with my social life is an adjustment as well. I also went from the woods of Maine into the capital of the US so understanding city life was also an adjustment for me.
BEY: Tell us five of your favorite things.
Cody: 1. My family, friends and girlfriend 2. Play and watch baseball 3. Fishing 4. Hang out at the lake 5. Blue Gatorade
BEY: We see shirts with your name on them! Tell us more… Cody: I partnered with Influence Tee to make personal merchandise! Check out my Instagram @codybowker for the store link!
BEY: Tell us about some of your favorite teammates from your Freshman year. Cody: All of my teammates were amazing. They pushed me to be better and were always there to help me. I loved listening to the older and more experienced guys on the team because they helped guide me to my success.
BEY: Is it hard being from Maine and fitting into the larger landscape of baseball? Cody: Absolutely but I’m always up for the challenge. I love being a part of putting Maine on the map. People associate Maine with cold weather and not with baseball. I love being a figure that represents Maine in the baseball world.
BEY: Tell us about your coaches. Cody: Coach T is my favorite coach I’ve ever played for. I love playing for all of my coaches here at Georgetown because they bring out the best in me and push me to be my best. I can always go to any of my coaches with questions, which I normally have a lot of. I also look up to all my coaches as role models.
BEY: Tell us about the student part of student-athlete. Cody: This is the biggest challenge of them all. Being able to balance school and baseball is extremely hard but it teaches me so much about time management. I love the challenge, but can be very draining at times. While at Georgetown I live and breath school work and baseball.
BEY: What are your goals for Season 2 and Team 154?
Cody: The goal is to get better as a team and individually. As a team we want to win a BIG EAST Championship and make it to NCAA Regionals.
The Hoyas are positioned to grow upon their historic 2023 season where at The Big East Tournament at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio, the team had its first ever post-season victory, back-to-back playoff appearances and 30-win seasons, most Big East and school wins in a two-year period of time, and all as the team carried a 3.2 GPA.