Sam Howard

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Sam Howard

|position = Pitcher

|bats = Right

|throws = Left

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|3|5}}

|birth_place = Cartersville, Georgia, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 10

|debutyear = 2018

|debutteam = Colorado Rockies

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = April 29

| finalyear = 2022

| finalteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 7–7

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 5.34

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 112

|teams =

Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2019}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2022}})

}}

Sam James Howard (born March 5, 1993) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Amateur career

Howard attended Cartersville High School in Cartersville, Georgia. Out of high school, the Chicago Cubs selected Howard in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB draft. He did not sign with Chicago, instead enrolling at Georgia Southern University, where he played college baseball for the Georgia Southern Eagles.{{cite web|url=http://savannahnow.com/sports-college-sports/2014-06-08/donald-heath-georgia-southerns-lhp-sam-howard-takes-game-next-level|title=Georgia Southern's LHP Sam Howard takes game to next level|work=Savannah Morning News|first=Donald|last=Heath|date=June 8, 2014|access-date=February 2, 2017}} In 2013, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author= |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=475227 |title=#32 Sam Howard – Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |access-date=September 25, 2019}}

Professional career

=Colorado Rockies=

The Colorado Rockies selected Howard in the third round, with the 82nd overall selection, of the 2014 MLB draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.statesboroherald.com/archives/60640/preview/|title=Rockies take Howard|work=Statesboro Herald|access-date=February 2, 2017}} He signed with the Rockies, receiving a $672,100 signing bonus.{{cite web|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/79668598/colorado-rockies-have-reached-agreement-with-sam-howard-their-third-round-draft-pick/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914191422/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/79668598/colorado-rockies-have-reached-agreement-with-sam-howard-their-third-round-draft-pick|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 14, 2015|title=Colorado Rockies have reached agreement with Sam Howard, their third-round Draft pick|work=MLB.com|access-date=February 2, 2017}} Howard made his professional debut with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League,{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-81677204|title=Colorado Rockies draftee Sam Howard puts up zeros in pro debut with Grand Junction Rockies|work=Minor League Baseball|date=June 26, 2014|access-date=February 2, 2017}} where he spent all of 2014, posting a 1–3 win–loss record with a 5.40 earned run average (ERA) in 14 games. In 2015, he played for the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-139138710|title=Colorado Rockies prospect Sam Howard goes the distance for Asheville Tourists|work=Minor League Baseball|date=July 27, 2015|access-date=February 2, 2017}} where he went 11–9 with a 3.43 ERA, along with a 1.22 WHIP. Howard began the 2016 season with the Modesto Nuts of the Class A-Advanced California League,{{cite web|url=http://www.modbee.com/sports/mlb/article80649847.html|title=Howard strikes out 10 as Modesto Nuts blank San Jose Giants|work=Modesto Bee|access-date=February 2, 2017}} and received a midseason promotion to the Hartford Yard Goats of the Class AA Eastern League.{{cite web|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/baseball/hc-yard-goats-recap-0717-20160716-story.html|title=Howard Earns First Win As Yard Goats Defeat Mets|work=Hartford Courant|date=July 16, 2017|access-date=February 2, 2017}} In 27 total games between Modesto and Hartford, Howard pitched to a 9–9 record and 3.35 ERA.

Howard was invited by the Rockies to 2017 spring training. He returned to Hartford to begin 2017, and after posting a 2.33 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 46.1 innings, he was promoted to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he finished the season, going 4–4 with a 3.89 ERA.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/sam-howard-607572|title=Sam Howard Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=|access-date=November 19, 2017}} The Rockies added him to their 40-man roster after the season.{{cite web|last=Gilbert |first=Steve |url=http://m.rockies.mlb.com/news/article/262236014/rockies-protect-4-players-with-40-man-roster/?topicId=27118374 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041531/http://m.rockies.mlb.com/news/article/262236014/rockies-protect-4-players-with-40-man-roster/?topicId=27118374 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |title=Rockies protect 4 players with 40-man roster |publisher=M.rockies.mlb.com |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=December 5, 2018}}

Howard began the 2018 season with Albuquerque. He made his major league debut on June 10.{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Nicholas |url=http://www.daily-tribune.com/stories/cartersvilles-howard-pitches-scoreless-inning-in-mlb-debut,19098 |title=Cartersville's Howard gets called up, pitches scoreless inning in MLB debut |work=The Daily Tribune |date=June 11, 2018 |access-date=December 5, 2018}} He threw four innings for the Rockies with a 2.25 ERA. He also had a 5.06 ERA in 21 games started for Albuquerque. The Rockies non-tendered him after the 2018 season.{{cite web|last=Harding |first=Thomas |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-tender-contracts-to-7-arb-eligibles/c-301303464 |title=Rockies tender contracts to 7 arb-eligibles |work=MLB.com |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=December 5, 2018}} Howard later re-signed to a minor league contract on December 18, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-transactions-dec-19-2018-jan-10-2019/|title=Minor League Transactions: Dec 19 – Jan 10|work=Baseball America|first=Matt|last=Eddy|date=January 12, 2019|access-date=January 12, 2019}} On July 21, 2019, the Rockies selected Howard's contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/21/veteran-slugger-mark-reynolds-designated-for-assignment-by-rockies/|title=Veteran slugger Mark Reynolds designated for assignment by Rockies|first=Patrick |last=Saunders|newspaper=The Denver Post|date=July 21, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2019}}

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

On October 30, 2019, Howard was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates-claim-relief-pitcher-sam-howard-from-rockies/|title=Pirates claim relief pitcher Sam Howard from Rockies|first=Joe |last=DiPaola|website=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date=October 30, 2019|access-date=October 30, 2019}} Becoming a relief pitcher in 2020, Howard had a 2-0 record and a 3.86 ERA with 27 strikeouts against nine walks in 21 innings pitched.{{Cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates-a-to-z-lefty-sam-howard-revived-his-career-by-thriving-in-relief-role/|title=Pirates A to Z: Lefty Sam Howard revived his career by thriving in relief role|first=Kevin|last=Gorman|date=November 15, 2020|website=TribLIVE.com|accessdate=May 13, 2022}} In 2021, he had a 3-4 record and a 5.60 ERA in 45 innings.{{Cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates-a-to-z-lefty-sam-howard-struggled-with-injuries-still-showed-effective-slider/|title=Pirates A to Z: Lefty Sam Howard struggled with injuries, still showed effective slider|first=Kevin|last=Gorman|date=November 11, 2021|website=TribLIVE.com|accessdate=May 13, 2022}}

Howard began the 2022 season with the Pirates, allowing two runs in two innings pitched before he was optioned to the Indianapolis Indians on May 2.{{Cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2022/05/02/pirates-sam-howard-miguel-yajure-mlb-roster-moves-anthony-banda-derek-shelton/stories/202205020090|title=Pirates option Sam Howard, Miguel Yajure as MLB rosters trim to 26 players|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|accessdate=May 13, 2022}} On May 7, Howard was designated for assignment by the Pirates.{{cite web |last1=Polishuk |first1=Mark |title=Pirates Place Roberto Perez On 10-Day IL |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/pirates-make-three-roster-moves.html |publisher=MLB Trade Rumors |access-date=May 13, 2022 |date=May 8, 2022}}

=Detroit Tigers=

On May 13, 2022, the Detroit Tigers claimed Howard off of waivers and assigned to their Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens.{{cite web |last1=Woodbery |first1=Evan |title=Tigers claim left-handed reliever off waivers from Pirates |url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2022/05/tigers-claim-left-handed-reliever-off-waivers-from-pirates.html |publisher=MLive.com |access-date=May 13, 2022 |date=May 13, 2022}} On July 5, Howard was designated for assignment.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=Tigers DFA lefty reliever, add Drew Hutchison to roster |url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2022/07/tigers-dfa-lefty-reliever-add-drew-hutchison-to-roster.html |access-date=2022-07-05 |website=mlive |language=en}} He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Toledo five days later. Howard elected free agency following the season on November 10.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=December 30, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}