ARLINGTON, Texas – Friday, April 3, was a special night for Nathaniel Lowe. The former Mississippi State star was appearing for the first time at Globe Life Field, where he played for the Texas Rangers from 2021 through 2024 and was a key contributor to the Rangers’ first World Series-winning team in 2023.
And during an early break in play, the Rangers played a short video montage and showed Lowe’s reaction from the visiting dugout. As expected, the capacity crowd gave their former first baseman a true hero’s welcome, and he was clearly grateful to be recognized.
“It was cool,” Lowe said the following day in the Cincinnati clubhouse. “I’m thankful for them for putting something up there and getting a little token of appreciation for being here that long.”
Since being traded from Texas to Washington in the winter of 2024, Lowe has suited up for the Nationals and Red Sox before signing a minor-league deal with the Reds in February. He was named to Cincinnati’s opening day roster in late March.
Lowe admitted that visiting Arlington, where he called home for four seasons, for the first time as a visitor, was a little weird.
“Yeah, it’s kind of odd having to tell the security guard who I am and finding a spot,” Lowe said. “But no, they’re super friendly, so it was just, find somewhere to sit, get in and go to work.”
Like everyone who has played for him, he’s enjoying being managed by Reds skipper Terry Francona, one of the game’s top managers who led Boston to two World Series titles, including the Red Sox’s historic run in 2004, the franchise’s first title since 1918.
“He shot me straight the whole time and that’s what you want, especially signing a minor-league deal and being on the outside looking in during camp, but he treated me like I was a real factor,” Lowe said of Francona. “Whether I made the team or not, I got probably 40-plus at-bats with the team. That’s all you can ask for in camp, and now I’m here in a position to help the team win tonight.”
And Francona loves what Lowe has brought to the clubhouse.
“He’s got a good personality,” Francona said. “He was one of our last guys to come to camp. We signed him right before camp and about two days in, he was already like a member (of our group). Guys took to him in a hurry. He’s a good kid. We like having him.”
With the Nationals and Red Sox last season, Lowe batted .228 with 18 home runs and 84 RBIs.
Big changes
Since his time as a Ranger, the ex-Bulldog has also experienced several life changes. For one, he got married, and last August, he and wife Brenna welcomed their first son, Barrett Ray Lowe.
“The best,” Lowe said. “We got married in winter of ’24 and then (I) got traded after, but of course I bought a home here in February and got traded in the same calendar year. That’s how it always goes. Our son is seven months old now. It’s a new challenge every day, but he’s growing so fast, and it’s pretty fulfilling to see him continue to grow.”
And like other big leaguers who have become fathers during their career have frequently said, there is something special about returning home after a tough night at the ballpark and seeing his wife and child, which makes any issues lingering from the game immediately disappear.
“Yeah, that’s a real thing. You can only be so upset until you come home and see them smiling,” Lowe said. “He’s just happy to be here. If I get to help him grow and do everything I’m supposed to do as a father, it definitely takes away from the stress of the field.”
No matter where he’s played, whether with Tampa Bay, which he debuted with in April 2019, he’s always been good friends with fellow MSU product Brent Rooker, who is now a mainstay with the Athletics. When their teams are playing, the two either grab a meal or play a round of golf if possible.
After bouncing between the Twins, Padres and Royals early in his big-league career, Rooker landed with the A’s in 2023 and has been a two-time AL All-Star and won an AL Silver Slugger Award in 2024, and no one could be happier for his success than Lowe.
“Yeah, I’ve always thought he was a great player, and now for him to have a home for a bunch of years and obviously get very well compensated for it makes me super happy because I’ve always thought he’s a great player and somebody needed to get him,” Lowe said. “When he was falling off of rosters there for that nine-month stretch, I was like surely he’s going to find a home somewhere. Then, when he’s having success, I’m not really surprised because I’ve seen that kind of play out of him for a long time.”
Landing in Cincinnati has also allowed Lowe to get to know fellow former State standout closer Jeff Brantley, a longtime television broadcaster with the Reds. “Yeah, (have talked to him) just a little bit. We did a pair of exhibition games in Milwaukee before we came to Cincinnati to do opening day,” Lowe said. “So, I got to chop it up with him a little bit, talked to Brandon Woodruff (another MSU guy) to get a little bit of the lay of the land, but being in division, we don’t really like those guys. You got to be nice and still kind of keep your distance.”
Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.
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