Ex-Jackie Robinson West LLWS member Ed Howard drafted by hometown Cubs

The Jackie Robinson West Little League team from Illinois captured tons of attention in the sports world in 2014 when they reached the championship game of the Little League World Series before losing to South Korea. Now, six years later, one of their players has been drafted by his hometown team.

Ed Howard was taken No. 16 overall by the Chicago Cubs during Wednesday’s MLB Draft.

Howard played in all seven of Jackie Robinson West’s games at the Little League World Series. He made a splash in their first game by hitting a home run, though he only went 2-for-13 (.154) for the event.

Howard played shortstop for Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago. He batted .377 with eight doubles and three home runs as a sophomore and an impressive .419 as a junior in 2019 with 12 doubles, three triples, and three home runs.

The Cubs liked Howard so much that they felt compelled to make him their first high schooler taken in the first round since Albert Almora in 2012.

The Cubs take SS Ed Howard 16th overall.

Howard is the first HS player taken in the 1st Round by the Cubs since Albert Almora was selected 6th overall in 2012. That was tied with the White Sox for the longest active drought in MLB. pic.twitter.com/Y4lCtsBSC5

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 11, 2020

Howard joins Robert Hassell (taken No. 8 by the Padres) as former Little League World Series players to be drafted in the first round in 2020.