Spencer Howard (Rangers)

Name: Spencer Howard
Born: 7/28/1996
Position: P
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 205lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Options Remaining: 3
Rule 5 Eligible: 2020
MiLB Free Agency: 2023
Drafted: 2017 Draft 2nd Round, #45 overall
School: Cal Poly
From: Templeton, CA
Signed: 6/20/2017
Bonus: $1,150,000

Stats: MiLB | B-Ref | Fangraphs | Baseball America | Baseball Prospectus | MLBFarm

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2019 Preseason (#5)

Role: #2/#3 Starter
Risk: High – Down the stretch for Lakewood, Howard showed near elite level stuff and results. The main concern is that we have just two months of great results from Howard, and it all came against low-A hitters.
Summary: When the Phillies took Howard in the second round of the draft, he looked like a reach. The Phillies really liked him, and Johnny Almaraz said he had the best right handed fastball in the draft. This was met with laughter, especially when Howard was sitting 91 to 93, touching 95, in his pro debut. Howard was throwing a bit harder to open 2018, sitting 92 to 96. He showed 4 pitches, none of them real standouts. Howard’s command came and went over most of the season. However, down the stretch, Howard was electric. Over his last 11 games (including playoffs) he put up a 62.1 IP 40 H 1.59 ERA 16 BB 82 K line. It all was topped with a no hitter in the first round of the SAL playoffs. It wasn’t just the results that were there for Howard, his fastball was consistently sitting in the mid 90s, and in the no hitter he was reportedly up to 100. His secondary pitches improved as well, with both his slider and changeup consistently showing plus potential. In the context of this breakout it is important to acknowledge how few innings Howard had thrown as an amateur, only moving to the rotation during his junior year. The inexperience is partially why Howard spent the whole season in the South Atlantic League. All of this is why there is skepticism over Howard’s end of year — he doesn’t have the track record of stuff, and he doesn’t have results against good hitters. Howard’s raw stuff matches up very well with Adonis Medina’s, and he projects to have 3 pitches that should be at least plus. If he repeats his end of season, Howard should end the year in the upper minors and at the top of prospect lists.
2019 Outlook: Howard should open the year in Clearwater, but given where his stuff was to end the season and the Phillies’ history of aggressively push college arms, he could end up in AA quickly. It would take an incredible season for Howard to reach the majors this year, but pitchers with his quality of stuff tend to move quickly.

2018 Midseason (#12)

Given that he was a college junior when the Phillies took him in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft, it is difficult to remember that Spencer Howard has not been a starting pitcher for very long. Control and efficiency have been the real problems for Howard, as his stuff is usually overpowering. At his best he will throw an electric fastball that sits in the mid 90s, topping out at 98. He will show a plus slider and flash a plus changeup. He also has an average curveball that he will throw in occasionally. If he can master command and consistency, Howard profiles as at least a mid rotation starter. If he can master the changeup and at least average strike throwing, he could move to the bullpen where he could profile as a shutdown reliever. For now, the Phillies are going to move Howard slower than most college pitchers and let him work through his issues.

2018 Preseason (#20)

Role: #3/#4 Starter
Risk: High – Howard is still raw for a high round college pitcher. He moved to a rotation in 2017, and while he has the pitches to stick in a rotation, he needs to demonstrate the command and control to avoid a shift to the bullpen.
Summary: There is not really a concept of a “reach” in the MLB draft, especially not after the first round. With no opportunity to trade picks, teams have to take players they like, even if it feels early, and it is clear the Phillies like Spencer Howard a lot. After the draft, Johnny Almaraz, the Phillies director of amateur scouting hyperbolically said the Phillies felt that he was the top right handed arm in the draft. What kept Howard down on many public draft boards was his background. The redshirt sophomore entered the year as a reliever, not moving to the rotation until a few weeks into the season. Howard then blitzed through the college season with a 1.94 ERA and 9.9 K/9. In pro ball, Howard has had mixed success, allowing 10 of his 14 earned runs in 20 of his 9 starts. He struck out 40 in 28.1 innings for Williamsport, but also walked 18. In terms of actual pitches, Howard’s arsenal leads with a fastball that sits 91-95, that can touch 96, that he gets good extension and life on. Out of college, his slider was his best secondary pitch, and it flashed good potential. He also throws a changeup that shows good fade. In pro ball, he threw a loopy curve, while the college reports indicate he also threw a cutter, but it may be a derivation of the slider. Howard is relatively young for a college junior, and with his late move to starting, there may be more potential in his secondary pitches as he begins to log more innings and experience. If he can’t get the full arsenal to work, he has a future as a fastball/slider reliever, but the Phillies are committed to him being a starter for the foreseeable future.
2018 Outlook: The Phillies traditionally push their high pick college players directly to Clearwater, and Howard would fit that model. However, with a plethora of starters already slated for Florida, the Phillies could let him get some starts in low-A to open the year.

2017 Midseason (#24)

It caused a few raised eyebrows when the Phillies took Spencer Howard with their 2nd round pick in the 2017 draft. The Phillies talked loftily about Howard after the draft, but the reality is a bit below the platitudes. Howard is relatively new to starting, but there is plenty to like. He is a projectable 6’3”, and his fastball sits 91-93 and can reach up to 96 with good life and deception. He shows a solid slider and changeup, as well as a fringy curveball. If he can find consistency with his slider and changeup, he has a chance to be a #3 starter, but he might take a bit longer than a normal college starter. The Phillies will likely limit his innings this summer after his college season. It will be interesting to see what the Phillies’ developmental staff will be able to do with him this fall during instructs.

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