Jeremy Owens

Jeremy Scott Owens

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.
• School Middle Tennessee State University
• High School Science Hill High School
• Born December 9, 1976 in Johnson City, TN USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Jeremy Owens is a former minor league power hitter who slugged over 200 home runs and stole nearly 400 bases in his career.

He began his professional career in 1998 after being taken by the San Diego Padres in the eighth round of that year's draft. Playing for the Idaho Falls Braves, he hit .278/.372/.447 with eight home runs, 52 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 69 games. His 81 strikeouts were the third-most in the league.

He played for the Fort Wayne Wizards (129 G, 9 HR, 66 RBI, .281/.365/.431) and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (9 G, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .158/.195/.184) in 1999, hitting a combined .272/.354/.414 with nine home runs, 67 RBI, 67 stolen bases and 12 triples in 138 games. He led the Midwest League in runs scored (111) and strikeouts (153; he had 166 total that year), finished second in stolen bases (behind Rich Gomez's 66) and tied Gomez for third in triples.

Owens spent all of 2000 with the Quakes, hitting .256/.333/.426 with 16 home runs, 10 triples, 63 RBI, 54 stolen bases and 183 strikeouts in 138 games. He led the league in plate appearances (650), at-bats (570) and strikeouts, tied Joe Thurston for the lead in games played, finished third in runs (99) and tied for third in triples.

In 2001, he was with the Lake Elsinore Storm (24 G, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .198/.260/.330) and Mobile Bay Bears (107 G, 7 HR, 26 RBI, .215/.311/.349) and hit a combined .212/.302/.346 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 37 stolen bases and 188 strikeouts in 131 games. He struggled again in 2002, playing for Lake Elsinore (110 G, 13 HR, 52 RBI, .230/.299/.392) and the Portland Beavers (13 G, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .174/.259/.522), hitting a combined .227/.297/.399 with 15 home runs, 59 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 157 strikeouts in 123 games. He finished third in the California League in strikeouts (148).

Playing for the Portland Sea Dogs in the Boston Red Sox organization in 2003 after being taken in the 2002 Rule V Draft, Owens rebounded by hitting .263/.326/.484 with 21 home runs, 68 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 136 games. He led the league in strikeouts (161), was second in the loop in dingers behind Jeff Inglin's 24, and he tied for second in triples (8).

His comeback did not last long, however, as he struggled with the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2004. In 112 games, he hit .228/.303/.383 with 12 home runs, 41 RBI and, in only 347 at-bats, 140 strikeouts (leading the league in that category).

Unable to latch onto a major league organization for 2005, Owens joined the independent ranks, suiting up for the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. He hit .290/.343/.505 with 24 home runs, 77 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 137 games, earning a spot on the All-Star team as an outfielder. He led the league in games and strikeouts (157), tied Travis Hake for second in at-bats (525) and tied for third in triples.

He returned to organized ball in 2006, playing for the Montgomery Biscuits in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization. He hit .237/.299/.394 with 14 home runs, 41 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 125 games, striking out 142 times. He led the league in Ks. With the Durham Bulls in 2007, Owens hit .261/.298/.405 with seven home runs, 32 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 111 games. His 123 strikeouts - the fewest since his rookie season - were still good for seventh most in the International League.

Owens spent most of 2008 with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League, hitting .246/.338/.424 with 15 home runs, 47 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 107 games, finishing second in the circuit with 129 whiffs. He began the year in the Rays system, however, though he struggled mightily - in 18 games, he hit .149/.174/.284 with three home runs and seven RBI. All told, he hit .232/.316/.403 with 18 home runs, 54 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 125 games, striking out 150 times.

He became a mainstay with the Blue Crabs, suiting up for them each year since first joining the club. In 2009, he hit .240/.350/.484 with 28 home runs, 80 RBI, 15 stolen bases and 181 strikeouts in 137 games, leading the league in home runs and strikeouts, tying Lloyd Turner for second in the league in games and Brandon Sing for third in the loop in runs (96). He also tied Jason Aspito for third in hit by pitch.

He hit .228/.320/.422 with 18 home runs, 64 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a career-high 193 strikeouts in 2010, leading the Atlantic League in strikeouts. In 2011, he hit .236/.320/.401 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 110 games. He struck out 103 times, fifth most in the league. In 2011, he hit .236/.320/.401 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 110 games, striking out 103 times. In 2012, he batted .260/.348/.465 with 22 home runs, 65 RBI, 17 steals and 151 strikeouts, which led the league. He followed that by hitting .220/.317/.358 with 8 home runs, 34 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 2013 and .115/.148/.231 in nine games in 2014, his final campaign as a player.

Owens hit .246/.325/.423 with 244 home runs, 882 RBI and 399 stolen bases in 1,975 games. If he had played at the major league level, his 2,416 strikeouts would be third all-time. He led the league in strikeouts nine times and set Blue Crabs career records in games played, home runs, extra-base hits, runs scored, stolen bases and walks.

He was named the Blue Crabs' manager for 2016. Prior to serving in that role, he was a player-coach, having also been the club's hitting coach. Owens was a coach for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2018-2019. He was scheduled to be a coach for the Charlotte Stone Crabs in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to Covid-19. He managed the Appalachian League's Elizabethton River Riders from 2022 to 2024.

Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
2016	Southern Maryland Blue Crabs	Atlantic League	57-83	8th	Independent Leagues