Riley Gowens’ name isn’t listed among the White Sox top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline, but the organization thinks highly of the 6-foot-4, right-handed pitcher.
While helping the Double-A Birmingham Barons win their second straight Southern League championship, Gowens received praise from White Sox director of player development Paul Janish.
“Quietly, one of my favorite guys in the organization, just from a competitor standpoint. And that’s pitchers or position players,” Janish said of Gowens in September. “I talk about Riley, when I was in Birmingham the last time, you watch him pitch in the game, walk on and off the field, he walks different.”
“He is a fierce competitor. It’s nice that he’s pitched well, and he answers the bell. We talk about showing up and being willing to push through some things. I’m sure he’s got things that he doesn’t even acknowledge, in terms of the body always feeling 100 percent.”
Riley Gowens’ season in review
Gowens made 27 starts and totaled a career-high 132 innings in 2025, all with the Barons. He finsihed with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP while striking out 151 batters and walking 49.
The 26-year-old helped Birmingham get off to a strong start to the season, posting a 5-0 record in his first nine outings. That stretch included four starts with at least seven strikeouts.
He also played a key role in the Barons’ playoff push and championship run. Across his final 12 starts, Gowens allowed one or zero earned runs 10 times. That comes out to a 1.67 ERA in 59.2 innings from July 12 through the end of the season.