Karson Bowen popped two home runs vs. Miami on May 30 for his second multi-homer effort in the final 14 contests. / UAA Communications photo by Hannah White
Bowen Signs Free Agent Contract with Rangers
Monday, July 20, 2026 | Baseball
Catcher Karson Bowen batted .295/.380/.455 with 227 hits and a .991 fielding percentage in four college seasons.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators catcher Karson Bowen has agreed to terms with the Texas Rangers organization as an undrafted free agent.
Despite not being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, Bowen will begin his professional career with Texas as a member of the rookie-level ACL Rangers of the Arizona Complex League. MLB teams are permitted to sign undrafted players to free agent deals following the conclusion of the MLB Draft, which do not count against an organization's signing bonus pool as long as a player signs for $150,000 or less.
As the first Gator to ink a UDFA contract since right-hander Nick Pogue in 2022, Bowen served as Florida's primary catcher last season. Starting 55 games at catcher (47), designated hitter (five) and first base (three), the Anaheim Hills, Calif. native slashed .261/.353/.431 while bashing a career-high seven home runs. Bowen also totaled two triples, 11 doubles, 41 runs, 33 RBI, 28 walks and five sacrifice flies. The four-year backstop finished his collegiate tenure with a bang by delivering the first-two multi-homer games of his career in the last 14 contests of the season.
Known as an elite defender, Bowen posted a .994 fielding percentage behind the dish featuring 23 assists, 11 runners caught stealing and just three errors over 545 defensive chances. He produced the highest success rate (90%) challenging pitches using the ABS system at the 2026 SEC Tournament by finishing 9-for-10.
Across four seasons at TCU (2023-25) and Florida (2026), Bowen amassed 227 career hits in 207 games including 202 starts. He concluded his career as a .295/.380/.455 hitter on top of 23 homers, five triples, 44 doubles, 151 runs, 145 RBI and 20 steals.
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Despite not being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, Bowen will begin his professional career with Texas as a member of the rookie-level ACL Rangers of the Arizona Complex League. MLB teams are permitted to sign undrafted players to free agent deals following the conclusion of the MLB Draft, which do not count against an organization's signing bonus pool as long as a player signs for $150,000 or less.
As the first Gator to ink a UDFA contract since right-hander Nick Pogue in 2022, Bowen served as Florida's primary catcher last season. Starting 55 games at catcher (47), designated hitter (five) and first base (three), the Anaheim Hills, Calif. native slashed .261/.353/.431 while bashing a career-high seven home runs. Bowen also totaled two triples, 11 doubles, 41 runs, 33 RBI, 28 walks and five sacrifice flies. The four-year backstop finished his collegiate tenure with a bang by delivering the first-two multi-homer games of his career in the last 14 contests of the season.
Known as an elite defender, Bowen posted a .994 fielding percentage behind the dish featuring 23 assists, 11 runners caught stealing and just three errors over 545 defensive chances. He produced the highest success rate (90%) challenging pitches using the ABS system at the 2026 SEC Tournament by finishing 9-for-10.
Across four seasons at TCU (2023-25) and Florida (2026), Bowen amassed 227 career hits in 207 games including 202 starts. He concluded his career as a .295/.380/.455 hitter on top of 23 homers, five triples, 44 doubles, 151 runs, 145 RBI and 20 steals.
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