Former Cubs first-round pick's injury saga was even more heartbreaking than believed

When the Chicago Cubs selected local high school infielder Ed Howard with the #16 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, it raised some eyebrows, but it had all the makings of a feel-good story.

Until it didn't.

In May 2022, while playing with the South Bend Cubs, Howard suffered a horrendous injury after colliding with the first baseman, tearing the labrum in his left hip, dislocating the joint and fracturing the posterior wall of his pelvis, according to a new piece from the Knoxville News Sentinel. A little over a week later, he had to get a titanium plate inserted to address the injury and his baseball career seemed dead before it even had that much life to begin with.

From a fan standpoint, most of us tend to look at situations like this from the organizational lens. Instead of thinking about what Howard was going through - even years after the injury - we tend to focus on things like who else the Cubs could have taken with that pick (prime example being Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was selected by the Mets three picks later).

Ed Howard faced a brutal mental battle after gruesome 2022 injury

But Howard was struggling, especially mentally, as he learned that hard work actually doesn't fix everything. He couldn't make it to the bathroom in the middle of the night and was struggling just to get around his apartment. The once-lofty expectations faded away - but he's still fighting, grinding his way through the Cubs' farm system, with a dream of someday making it to the big leagues.

"I pray that one day there are more pressure moments in my career," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm really doing this to prove it to myself."

He's still just 24 years old, but if we're being honest about the situation, Howard has a long ways to go before he's even considered for a 26-man roster spot. At Double-A Knoxville this year, he's batting just .184/.241/.286. The hit tool has never materialized in pro ball for Howard and it could end up being what prevents him from living out his dream.

But, for now, he continues to put in the work, refusing to make excuses or give up. Frankly, his story is an important reminder to all of us: the players who put on the Cubs' uniform or are saddled with high expectations coming out of the MLB Draft are human beings. And, too often, there's much more to their stories than just on-field struggles.

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