The Iowa Cubs released shortstop Ed Howard on Saturday, ending the Chicago organization’s six-year relationship with the former first-round draft pick whose career never matched the promise of his hometown selection.
A popular Cubs fan account highlighted the move and the draft contrast that has followed Howard since 2020.
“The Iowa Cubs have released Ed Howard. He was selected 3 spots ahead of Pete Crow-Armstrong in the 2020 MLB Draft,” Chief Cub posted.
The post quickly drew thousands of views among Cubs supporters, many of whom noted how differently the two players’ careers have unfolded.
According to MLB’s official page for Howard, the move was confirmed.
Chicago selected Howard, a shortstop from Mount Carmel High School on the city’s South Side, with the 16th overall pick in the shortened 2020 draft. Three selections later, the New York Mets took outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong 19th overall out of Harvard-Westlake High School in California.
The Cubs later acquired Crow-Armstrong in a July 2021 trade with the Mets. He has become one of the National League’s most complete players. This season he is hitting .282 with 36 home runs, 89 RBIs and 32 stolen bases in 136 games, helping Chicago to a 77-59 record and second place in the NL Central.
Howard, 24, never reached the majors. Injuries interrupted nearly every season after he signed for a slot bonus of about $3.75 million.
A hamstring injury cost him time in 2021. A hip injury ended his 2022 season after 23 games. Additional stints on the injured list followed.
In 1,162 minor league at-bats across six seasons, Howard hit .209 with 11 home runs, 95 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. His on-base plus slugging percentage was .546.
This year he split time between Double-A Knoxville and Triple-A Iowa, batting .168 with two home runs in 137 at-bats. Iowa transferred him to the development list on Aug. 25 before releasing him four days later.
Howard first gained national attention as a 12-year-old shortstop for Jackie Robinson West, the Chicago team that reached the Little League World Series championship game in 2014. Hall of Famer Barry Larkin nicknamed him “Silk” for his smooth fielding during the tournament.
Howard spoke in July about the long odds and the injuries that changed his path.
“I probably could have walked away from the game, and nobody probably would have got mad at me,” Howard said. “Pressure is a privilege.”
The release makes Howard a free agent. He can sign with another organization and continue chasing a major league opportunity that once seemed likely in a Cubs uniform.
Chicago’s current roster and farm system look far different from the one that selected him. Crow-Armstrong signed a six-year, $115 million extension in March and is in the conversation for National League MVP after a three-homer, six-RBI performance Saturday in a 17-5 win over Cincinnati.
Howard’s story is a reminder of how thin the line can be between a first-round pick who becomes a franchise centerpiece and one who never appears in a big-league box score.
The Iowa Cubs, Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate, made the move as rosters shift toward September and the final weeks of the minor league season.
Howard grew up in the Chicago area, played at Mount Carmel and often said he wanted to represent his hometown team. That chapter is now closed.
Whether another club gives him a chance remains to be seen. For Cubs fans who watched both players come through the same draft class, the contrast is already complete.
