Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | OAK | RHP | 20 | 40 |
Grades Update: Feb 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | CT | CB | CH | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 50 | 55 | 45 | 45 | 55/50 |
Feb 2021 Report
Evaluator: Ian Smith
Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-9
Weight: 213 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Round 8
RuleV: Eligible
Physical Description: High waisted, gangly frame. Extremely long levers with some projection remaining. One of the tallest pitchers in the entire minor leagues. Could easily be mistaken for an NBA power forward.
Delivery & Mechanics: Howard works out of the windup with a rocker step into a high leg kick. Moves quickly to the plate with short extension but a longer arm action in a traditional over-the-top delivery. Creates deception from an extremely tough approach angle due to his lower release for his frame. Keeps his body under control well, and will repeat his mechanics with ease.
Fastball: 90-93. Heavy arm side run with natural sink. Will work the inside half primarily with plus command of the pitch, especially effective against LHH. Grade: 50
Cutter: Best pitch in Howard's arsenal. Gets hard, late cut in the pitch anywhere in the zone. Can manipulate the pitch to have big sweep or gyro movement at the bottom of the zone. Throws the pitch with confidence, and leans on it to get whiffs consistently. Grade: 55
Curveball: Howard will throw a mid to high 70s that shows a good 11/5 shape. Pitch can get loopy and hang up in the zone when he doesn't stay on top of it. Pitch can flash above average on occasion, but doesn't show enough feel currently to warrant that grade. Grade: 45
Changeup: Fringe-average pitch. Howard will maintain good arm speed and shows some feel for it; it's consistent. Will get good movement on the pitch, but has a tendency to leave it up in the zone to be hit hard. Grade: 45
Control and Command: Possibly the best aspect to Howard's profile. Will control the zone with ease with the FB/CT combo, and shows good feel for both breaking pitches as well. Does a fantastic job limiting walks and will throw a ton of strikes. Control: 55 | Command: 50
Overall: The lanky TCU product gives you a fringy starters profile led by a near plus combo in the fastball and cutter and above-average command. Will need to learn to sequence better to create more swing and miss, but can be effective enough to fill-in as a spot starter if the command holds long term.
OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: Moderate
