There was a time when Spencer Howard was viewed as a future rotation mainstay with the Philadelphia Phillies. Howard’s future looked bright when he was ranked as the top prospect in the Phillies’ organization entering the 2021 season. He was ranked the No. 27 prospect by Baseball America, No. 42 by MLB Pipeline, and No. 65 by Baseball Prospectus.
However, as Howard famously proved, sometimes prospects don’t pan out. In 47 appearances, 32 starts, at the major league level, he owns a career ERA of 7.00. He’s bounced around four different organizations in his career, but never capitalized on those opportunities.
Five years after his MLB debut, Howard is headed to the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Spencer Howard’s Tenure with the Phillies
GettySpencer Howard was once considered the future of the Phillies’ rotation, but never found the consistency he needed to stick.
The Phillies drafted Howard with their second round pick (No. 45 overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft out of Cal Poly. They signed him for a $1.15 million bonus, the fifth largest for a former Mustang.
Howard rose as a prospect with a strong 2019 season. That year, he pitched to a 2.03 ERA in 15 starts with High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He punctuated a strong finish to the season with an impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League. Playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions, Howard allowed just five runs in 27.1 innings, striking out 27.
With the minor league season eliminated due to the pandemic, Howard was on the Phillies’ 60-player reserve list. He debuted for the club on July 24, 2020 against the Atlanta Braves. He finished the year with six starts, pitching to a 5.92 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks over 24.1 innings.
His second and final year with the Phillies didn’t go as well. Howard opened the year as the long reliever, making three appearances before getting optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He came back as a starter in May, making seven more starts before getting dealt at the trade deadline. He was part of a six-player deal with the Texas Rangers that sent starter Kyle Gibson and reliever Ian Kennedy to Philadelphia.
In all, Howard made 17 appearances, 13 starts for the Phillies. He pitched to a 5.81 ERA over 52.2 innings.
Howard’s Career After Leaving Philadelphia
The Texas Rangers hoped to salvage something from former Phillies top prospect Spencer Howard, but got equally poor results.
Despite the rough start to his career, he had a new opportunity with the Rangers. He spent parts of the next three seasons in Arlington, but never found any consistency. In 21 appearances, 16 starts, he pitched to an 8.37 ERA.
His time with the Rangers came to an end in August 2023 when he was dealt to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. Despite being out of the Rangers organization at the time, he still received a World Series ring. The Yankees gave Howard a look but moved on after three rough appearances with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He then hooked up with the San Francisco Giants after the minor league season concluded.
It was with the Giants that Howard got another major league opportunity. He was added to their roster in May 2024. But after seven appearances, two starts, of 5.63-ERA ball, he was designated for assignment.
The Cleveland Guardians became the next team to take a flyer on the former top prospect. The opportunity didn’t work out, as Howard gave up five runs in five innings with the Guardians. He became a free agent after declining an outright assignment, hooking up with the Giants once again.
Howard did not pitch with an organization in 2025. With his options limited, the right-hander hopes to resurrect his career in Japan.
Former Phillies Top Pitching Prospect Spencer Howard Lands Overseas Opportunity