Watch: Texas Native Colton Cowser Makes Catch of the Year Contender

Texas, without a doubt, is a baseball state. In MLB history, over 1200 players have come out of the great state of Texas. You have Hall of Famers like Ernie Banks and Bill Foster and Greg Maddux. You literally can't talk about the game of baseball without mentioning Texas' impact on the game.

And during a game against the Colorado Rockies, another Texan made baseball history. Houston native and Sam Houston State alumni Colton Cowser did something so incredible, fans won't forget it any time soon.

Houston Native Colton Cowser Makes What Could Be Catch of the Year

Back in the day, Baseball Tonight used to have a highlight package called 'Web Gems'. The segment basically highlighted the great defensive plays of the day. If Baseball Tonight still existed today, Colton Cowser's catch would have been the crown jewel of the 'Web Gems' segment.

Let me set the stage to do it justice - Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs. The Orioles are clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Colorado Rockies. The tying run is on base, the winning run is at the plate. Jake McCarthy absolutely BOMBS a ball to dead center. What happens next...is nothing short of magical.

Crazy, right? And not only did the 'Cow leap over the Moon' to make the game saving play - so to speak. But, standings wise, it may be the most magical moment of the Orioles season. The catch got the team back to .500 and puts them firmly in the playoff picture.

In the backyard, playing baseball with your buddies, this is the type of scenario you dream up and try to emulate. The "Milk Man", as he's lovingly called, did it in a HUGE moment in an actual MLB game. It's the type of play that can build momentum and save seasons.

And, as insanely impressive as the catch is, there's one thing that shouldn't be overlooked here - Colton beat out a double play to score the go-head run in the game. So, the Milk Man delivered both offensively & defensively in the biggest spots.

Colton Cowser Finding His Footing in the Big Leagues

Colton Cowser for several years has been labeled as a guy that has a lot of potential but just hasn't gotten over the hump yet. If you go back to his days at Sam Houston State, you could see the potential. He won the Southland Conference 'Hitter of the Year Award' in 2019. He won Southland Conference Player of the Year his junior year and named to the All-Defensive Team.

In the big leagues with the Orioles, he hasn't quite capitalized on his potential yet...but he has shown flashes of who he could be. He was runner up to Rookie of the Year in 2024 (and in my humble opinion, think he should have won it). And then plays like the one he made against the Rockies make you think "Man...if he can ever consistently find it, he has the potential to be a league MVP".

Regardless, if you haven't been keeping up with this Texas native's big league journey, you've been missing out on some fun moments.

Are You a Proud Texan? You Might Want to Start Rooting for the Orioles

Full disclosure - I'm originally from Baltimore, so I'm a bit biased here and LOVE the Orioles. But, if you're a proud Texan, you should probably cheer a little harder for the O's too.

Colton Cowser is just one of several Texas natives from the Orioles. Shane Baz, Brandon Young, and Jackson Holliday also hail from Texas. Plus, if you look at the O's history, there are a LOT of deep Texas connections. They've had Ranger legends like Rafael Palmeiro on the roster. A lot of their former managers were either from Texas or at the very least were in the Texas Rangers organization. The front office is comprised of a lot of former Houston Astros.

So, whether you realize it or not, there's a LOT of Texas love in Charm City.