Rudy Owens said his changeup got even better this year

Rudy Owens, the Pirates 28th-round selection in the 2006 draft, is 27-18 with a 2.92 ERA in his three years in the minor league system.

With Double-A Altoona this season, Owens was 12-6 with a 2.46 ERA. The 22-year old is most likely to start the 2011 season with the Triple-A Indians. If Owens continues to pitch well we may see him in a Pirates uniform at some point next season.

“I went into this year just trying to take everything in — trying to learn from the hitters, learn from my catchers and how they call they games, learn from my stuff,” Owens said. “I kind of caught on and trusted my stuff and my ability to call my own games. That’s where I took off.”

His changeup is a big reason for his success.

“I worked on it during the throwing program, messing with the grip, until I felt comfortable,” Owens said. “You’ve got to throw it to make it feel good. I threw it enough and got comfortable with it. I messed with the grip until I got to that point. It’s something I’ve got to perfect. I’ve got to be able to throw it in the strike zone when I want to or in the dirt when I need to. I’m just trying to get the guy to swing or miss.”