Growing up only 25 miles from the gates of Busch Stadium, Ryan Howard’s favorite team was the St. Louis Cardinals. In both 2012 and 2014, he saw the Redbirds fall to the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series.
After the 2016 MLB Draft, the Missouri shortstop’s allegiance may shift. Howard was selected in the fifth round (155th overall) by none other than the San Francisco Giants.
“I’ve always been a Cardinals fan growing up, so I guess it’s time to change that now,” the 20-year-old said.
Oddly enough, this is the second time the Giants drafted the St. Charles native. After his sophomore year, San Francisco took him in the 31st round of the 2015 draft. Howard elected to come back to Missouri for another year.
“It shows that they want me,” Howard said. “And hopefully I’ll be a good fit in the organization and hopefully go in and be a contributor in there and try and move up as fast as I can.”
Though he has one year of eligibility left at Missouri, Howard will likely sign a contract with the Giants early next week. The 155th pick in last year’s draft received a signing bonus of $335,400.
Ray Howard, Ryan’s father and high school baseball coach, feels that his son has the tools to succeed in professional baseball. He also said that the shortstop has top-notch work ethic.
“He’s always been one of those kids where I never had to push him to go to the ball field, go take extra ground balls or hit … we spent a lot of hours together working hard,” Ray Howard said.
The hard work paid off. He started all three of his years at Missouri, hitting .308 as a sophomore. The summer between his sophomore and junior year, he started at shortstop on the Collegiate National Team and boasted a .310 batting average.
When Ryan was drafted last summer, he was playing summer baseball in Wisconsin. This year, he was at home and able to celebrate with his father.
“It was a real special time for us, because of all the time he’s put working with me, throwing BP and hitting me ground balls all the time,” Ryan Howard said. “It’s just really special for me to show that all the hard work has payed off and what he’s done for me.”
Howard will learn his major league assignment once he signs with San Francisco.
“He’s just excited to get the opportunity,” Ray Howard said. “It’s what he’s been wanting to do his whole life. He’s always said that’s what he wants to be … now he’s going to get his chance.”
**Other Tigers Drafted**
Reggie McClain, senior – 13th round, Seattle Mariners
Jake Ring, junior – 31st round, Baltimore Orioles (one year of eligibility remaining at Missouri)
Kameron Missner, high school commit – 33rd round, Kansas City Royals (up to four years of eligibility remaining at Missouri)
Austin Tribby, senior – 35th round, Minnesota Twins
Dalton Feeney, high school commit – 40th round, Detroit Tigers (up to four years of eligibility remaining at Missouri)
_Edited by George Roberson | groberson@themaneater.com_