Dexter Fowler

Lore & Background

Fowler was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 14th round of the 2004 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with the Rockies on September 2, 2008. He played for the Rockies through 2013, then was traded to the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Los Angeles Angels. He was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2016 with the Cubs and became the first African-American to start for the Cubs in a World Series. He led off Game 7 of the 2016 World Series with a home run, the first player to do so in a World Series Game 7.

In Their Own Story

Late September, 2012. The sun is dropping behind the Flatirons and the sky over Coors Field has turned that deep, bruised purple that only Denver gets. Fowler is in the shallow grass, glove low, eyes tracking a lazy fly ball that the hitter thought was gone. He reads the line, takes two quick steps, and snags it with a soft backhand — no celebration, just a little shake of the head and a tap of the glove. The crowd murmurs, half-laughing, half-impressed. He jogs to second base, spikes the bag, and the runner is out by a step. Fowler peels the ball off, looks back at the infield, and jogs back to his position. The fans who saw it from the upper deck are already telling their friends. That's the Fowler thing. You don't need a highlight reel. You just need to watch him play a Tuesday night in September and realize you've got a good outfielder.

Reader's Guide

Fowler's career with the Rockies spanned 2008–2013. He was called up in September 2008, hit his first home run on April 8, 2009 (the first pitch of the game, a Rockies record), and tied a modern rookie record with five stolen bases on April 27, 2009. He led the Majors in triples in 2010 with 14. He was traded to the Astros in December 2013, then to the Cubs in January 2015. He signed with the Cardinals in December 2016 and was traded to the Angels in February 2021. He retired on January 31, 2023.

Did You Know?

• Fowler was drafted by the Rockies out of high school in 2004, not by the Cardinals.
• He was a one-time All-Star, selected in 2016 with the Cubs, not with the Rockies.
• Fowler led off Game 7 of the 2016 World Series with a home run, a first in MLB history.
• He played for the Rockies from 2008–2013, not 2010–2016.
• After leaving the Rockies, he played for the Astros, Cubs, Cardinals, and Angels, not the Dodgers or Braves.