Former Williamsburg Yellow Jacket Cam Bowen
“It’s all about perseverance.” That is what former Williamsburg Yellow Jacket Cameron Bowen had to say about making it to the professional level of sports. You have to possess a certain level of athletic talent, of course, but according to him, the most important thing is always going to be the amount of heart and dedication that you’re able to bring into the equation.
Bowen was a member of the WHS varsity baseball team between 2015-2019, helping lead the Yellow Jackets to back-to-back 13th Region “All A” championship titles as a junior and senior in 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, Bowen began his collegiate career at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn. By 2022, he was starting every game for the Railsplitters, making a name for himself as a consistent hitter, a dangerous threat on the base paths and a reliable defender in the infield.
Bowen’s efforts at LMU earned him the opportunity to continue his baseball career after graduation, and as of earlier this year, he has been taking the field for the Billings Mustangs, a team in Montana that competes in the Pioneer Baseball League, which is a professional partner league of Major League Baseball.
“This is definitely a special thing,” Bowen said of being with the Mustangs, who trace their lineage all the way back to the late-forties and were an affiliate program for the Cincinnati Reds between 1974-2020. “Getting to put on the uniform is very unique, and it’s great to see all of the fans who come to watch us play.”
“I have worked my whole life to get to do something like this, and I am just glad that it is paying off,” Bowen added.
Bowen said that transitioning from high school ball to college is a big step up, and going from college to the pro level is an even bigger step, but he explained that everything just has to be approached with a day-to-day mentality.
“Every day, I am just trying to perform my best,” Bowen said. “I am trying to put myself out there and give myself the best possible opportunity to get signed with an affiliate team. I want to be a part of a Major League club.”
At this point, Bowen feels like making it to the next level is something that is “very doable,” especially given the fact that one of his fellow Mustangs (catcher Dylan Leach) was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays just last week.
“Everything just depends on what happens the next day,” Bowen said of the unpredictability of life in the minor leagues. “I am just staying really honed in on my job right now.”
When asked what he would like to say to current high school athletes hoping to be in his shoes one day, Bowen advised, “Don’t give up. Early in my college career was a little tough, but it’s all about perseverance. It’s about what you decide you really want [in life]. What matters the most is how hard you’re willing to work for it. Just keep going, and don’t ever let anyone tell you any different.”
For more information on Bowen and the Billings Mustangs, visit them online at www.billingsmustangs.com. More information on the Pioneer Baseball League can be found at www.pioneerleague.prestosports.com.
