The Chicago Cubs went local with their first round pick in the 2020 MLB draft. In the process, they brought a remarkable story full circle.
With the 16th overall selection, the drafted Ed Howard, a shortstop out of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Howard has already starred on a big baseball stage. He was among the star players on the Jackie Robinson West All-Star team that won the United States championship at the 2014 Little League World Serie<twitter-widget class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" id="twitter-widget-0" data-tweet-id="1270882392031596544" style="position: static; visibility: visible; display: block; transform: rotate(0deg); max-width: 100%; width: 550px; min-width: 220px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe class="canvas-video-iframe Bdw(0) StretchedBox W(100%) H(100%)" data-type="videoIframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9zu1EXsvlQ" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; border-width: 0px; height: 337.796875px; width: 600px;"></iframe>
The accolades don’t get any bigger for a high school baseball player.
According to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, Howard is now the first Illinois high school position player to be drafted in the first round since Jayson Werth in 1997.
The next Howard puts on a Cubs hat won’t be the first, but he recently admitted that he grew up more of a White Sox fan in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Howard also participated in the White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) program, which aims to pull Chicago youth away from inner-city dangers and provide them with opportunities to grow and succeed as people first and developing baseball players second. That makes Howard’s selection a special moment for the entire city of Chicago and an especially proud one for the White Sox. by
Future outlook
The Cubs already have an elite shortstop in Javier Báez. But between Báez's versatility and Howard's upside, the Cubs will certainly find a way to get both on the field if that becomes a possibility.
Howard will need some time to knock off the rust and develop his all-around game, but his 80-mph bat speed puts him in a good position to succeed right away from a hitting perspective. He will be one of the most interesting players to watch develop from this draft.
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With the 16th overall selection, the drafted Ed Howard, a shortstop out of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Howard has already starred on a big baseball stage. He was among the star players on the Jackie Robinson West All-Star team that won the United States championship at the 2014 Little League World Serie<twitter-widget class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" id="twitter-widget-0" data-tweet-id="1270882392031596544" style="position: static; visibility: visible; display: block; transform: rotate(0deg); max-width: 100%; width: 550px; min-width: 220px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe class="canvas-video-iframe Bdw(0) StretchedBox W(100%) H(100%)" data-type="videoIframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9zu1EXsvlQ" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; border-width: 0px; height: 337.796875px; width: 600px;"></iframe>
The accolades don’t get any bigger for a high school baseball player.
According to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, Howard is now the first Illinois high school position player to be drafted in the first round since Jayson Werth in 1997.
The next Howard puts on a Cubs hat won’t be the first, but he recently admitted that he grew up more of a White Sox fan in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Future outlook
The Cubs already have an elite shortstop in Javier Báez. But between Báez's versatility and Howard's upside, the Cubs will certainly find a way to get both on the field if that becomes a possibility.
Howard will need some time to knock off the rust and develop his all-around game, but his 80-mph bat speed puts him in a good position to succeed right away from a hitting perspective. He will be one of the most interesting players to watch develop from this draft.
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