Chicago Cubs Draft: Team overlooks the obvious choice, taking Ed Howard

With Garrett Mitchell still on the board, the Chicago Cubs opted to take Ed Howard, a local kid who plays shortstop.

With the 16th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Chicago Cubs select Ed Howard, shortstop, Mount Carmel High School. How did that sound? It wasn’t the pick that I expected. This draft has already been full of twists and turns, highlighted by the Orioles taking Arkansas’ Heston Kjerstad with the number two overall pick, despite him projected near the tenth pick.

And Ed Howard wasn’t even on my radar honestly. I had the Cubs taking a college bat or pitcher, in an effort to help keep the window of contention open a bit longer. So, for me, UCLA’s Garrett Mitchell was the preferred choice. He’s a toolsy outfielder, who hit .349 in 62 games last year and could likely plug into the lineup within a couple of years.

However, the Cubs went with the Oklahoma commit in Howard. He plays in the Cubs back yard at nearby Mount Carmel High School. As a junior, Howard hit .419 with 12 doubles, three triples, and three homes runs in a 26-game sample size.

Here’s what Perfect Game had to say about Howard:

"Long and projectable athletic build. 6.76 runner, has very athletic actions in the middle infield, plays balanced and smooth while showing big range, very fast and sure hands, solid arm strength with a very quick release from multiple arm angles, accurate throws. Right handed hitter, hits from a slightly open stance, simple repeatable load, same lightning quick hands drive the barrel, very good bat speed with loud contact and consistent hard loud barrel, line drive contact now with power to come."

Howard could end up being the better option four, five, or six years from now, but I was hoping they could draft a first-rounder that was close to plugging in. The newest Cub projects to stick at shortstop, which could be problematic, given Javier Baez‘s status on the roster, so Howard may have to shift over to second base, or vice versa.

Still, Howard will be nice to stash away in the farm system to let develop.