Cowart continues raking for Salt Lake

After two seasons of struggling at Double-A and a step back to Class A Advanced to begin 2015, Kaleb Cowart may have slid off the prospect radar for Angels fans. It's time to take notice: Cowart is back.

Anaheim's 13th-ranked prospect continued his Triple-A surge with his third straight multi-hit game, homering and doubling to lead Tripole-A Salt Lake to a 6-4 win over Reno at Smith's Ballpark.

Cowart is the first to admit that the 2013 and 2014 seasons did not go according to plan. With Double-A Arkansas, the 18th overall pick in the 2010 Draft posted a .221/.279/.301 slash line in 132 games in his first full Texas League campaign and .223/.295/.324 last year. This season, the Angels had him swerve around the level entirely.

"I started the year in High-A, and I think it did take some pressure off of me," he said. "It was a good call. I was able to get there and regroup and really work out some kinks and build some confidence there. Then it just took off once I got here to Triple-A."

Saturday's performance looked as good as any Cowart has put up since leaping Double-A. After batting .242/.326/.387 in 51 California League games, something's clicked in the Pacific Coast League for the 23-year-old third baseman.

Cowart singled to right field in the fourth inning, belted a two-run homer to right-center in the sixth and added a double to center in the eighth. The homer tied the game, and he didn't have any doubt about where it was headed off the bat.

"Yeah, I knew I got that one," he said. "I hit it pretty good."

The Georgia native scored half of the Bees' six runs and drove in a pair.

"Tonight, I saw the ball well," he said. "I missed a pitch my first at-bat, and after that I was able to get into a groove and swing at the pitches I wanted to, get pitches over the plate and execute good swings on them."

Since he debuted with Salt Lake on June 12, Cowart is batting .330/.411/.545, with 13 of his 37 hits going for extra bases. He's driven in 27 runs and walked 16 times in 34 games.

"It really is awesome," he said. "To come from where I've been the past couple years in Double-A, really struggling, it's a breath of fresh air to get back to the player I knew I was.

"It's honestly a feeling you can't put into words. It's just great to see where I've come and been able to sustain the success up here in Triple-A."

In addition to his success at the plate at the Minors' highest level, Cowart has seen action at both corner infield positions, shortstop and left field between Class A Advanced and Triple-A. The portfolio is growing at the right time and in the right place for Cowart, who finds himself on the doorstep of a Major League debut.

"I'm just fortunate with how young I am," he said. "I think people forgot how young I was. I just turned 23, and I had to iron some things out. I feel good and hopefully, it'll be this year. I can't control that though. That's for [the Angels] to decide."