Spencer Howard, once the top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization, has signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2026 season, according to Yakyu Cosmopolitan. The agreement follows Howard’s first season in Japan, which he spent with the Rakuten Eagles, and confirms that he will remain in NPB rather than returning to Major League Baseball.
Howard was selected by the Phillies in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft with the No. 45 overall pick out of Cal Poly. He signed for a $1.15 million bonus, the fifth-largest bonus awarded to a former Cal Poly Mustang. His prospect status rose sharply in 2019, when he recorded a 2.03 ERA in 15 starts across High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League that year with the Scottsdale Scorpions, allowing five runs over 27.1 innings while striking out 27 batters.
With the minor league season canceled in 2020, Howard was placed on the Phillies’ 60-player reserve list. He made his MLB debut on July 24, 2020, against the Atlanta Braves. During the shortened season, he made six starts and finished with a 5.92 ERA, 23 strikeouts, and 10 walks over 24.1 innings.
Entering the 2021 season, Howard was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Phillies’ system by both FanGraphs and MLB.com. He was also ranked No. 27 overall by Baseball America, No. 42 by MLB Pipeline, and No. 65 by Baseball Prospectus. That season, he opened in a long relief role, making three appearances before being optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He returned to the majors in May as a starter and made seven additional starts before being traded at the deadline. Howard was included in a six-player trade to the Texas Rangers that sent Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy to Philadelphia. During the 2021 season, Howard posted a 5.72 ERA, a 24.4 percent strikeout rate, and a 13.4 percent walk rate. Overall, with the Phillies, he made 17 appearances, 13 of them starts, and recorded a 5.81 ERA across 52.2 innings.
Texas provided Howard with his longest stretch of major league opportunity, though injuries limited his availability. From 2021 through 2023, he pitched 62.2 innings for the Rangers across 21 appearances, 16 of them starts, and finished with an 8.37 ERA. His performance at Triple-A Round Rock during that period reflected similar struggles. In August 2023, the Rangers traded Howard to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. Although he was no longer in the organization by season’s end, he received a World Series ring. His time with the Yankees ended after three appearances with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Howard continued moving through organizations in search of a stable role. He joined the San Francisco Giants after the minor league season and was added to their major league roster in May 2024. He appeared in seven games, including two starts, and posted a 5.63 ERA before being designated for assignment. The Cleveland Guardians claimed him next, and he allowed five runs in five innings before declining an outright assignment and becoming a free agent. He later rejoined the Giants organization but did not pitch for a U.S.-based organization during the 2025 season.
The same year, Howard pitched in Japan for the Rakuten Eagles. Injuries limited him to nine starts, but he recorded a 2.22 ERA across 48.2 innings. Following that season, he agreed to a contract with the Yomiuri Giants for 2026. Howard is the second foreign player signed by the Giants within a 10-day span, following the signing of former Boston Red Sox infielder Bobby Dalbec.
Howard is 29 years old and has pitched 144 innings at the MLB level with a career 7.00 ERA while spending time with the Phillies, Rangers, Yankees, Giants, and Guardians. His MLB career also includes a 4.77 SIERA.
