The Chicago Cubs are about to wrap up a series against the Cincinnati Reds. In the middle of that series, the team announces news regarding Ed Howard.
The series is tied 1-1 heading into the final game on August 30th. The Cubs are eight games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, which is good for the top NL Wild Card Spot.
Sunday’s game starts at 7:30 PM Eastern Time, 5:20 PM Mountain Time.
Chicago Cubs Release 6-Year MLB Professional
During their series against the Reds, the Cubs announced Howard news.
According to the MiLB Transactions Log website, the Cubs released Howard from their Triple-A affiliate: “Iowa Cubs released SS Ed Howard.”
Howard is a 24-year-old shortstop. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound player was drafted by the Cubs in 2020.
Looking at Ed Howard
Howard has split his 2026 season between Double-A and Triple-A.
In Double-A, Howard played 40 games. In those games, he collected 19 hits, four doubles, two home runs, and eight RBIs.
In 12 Triple-A games, Howard landed four hits and one double. Howard finished the 2026 season with a .168 batting average.
The Cubs originally drafted Howard in 2020. On June 22nd, 2020, he signed with the Cubs organization.
Before his release, his best season with the organization was in 2024. During that season, Howard played 102 High-A games. In those games, he recorded 85 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 24 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
Howard’s Batting Struggles Lead to His Departure & What’s Next For Howard
Just from looking at the numbers, it’s clear that the biggest issue with Howard was his inability to hit the ball consistently.
Howard never had overwhelming power. His player profile was always that of a contact batter. However, that fell away in his final years with the organization.
Howard only played 100 games in a season one time in a six-year career.
Considering his Double-A and Triple-A numbers, it’s tough to envision a way forward with another MLB organization in that regard.
However, there is still hope if a team needs some depth for it’s Single-A affiliates. If that is something that Howard is interested in so that he can prolong his playing career, that seems like the next logical step.
Otherwise, it might be time to hang up the cleats and transition into the next part of his career.
Chicago Cubs Release 6-Year MLB Professional During Reds Series