It’s a special night for one of the Phillies top prospects
Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Spencer Howard threw a no-hitter Friday evening for the Lakewood BlueClaws in a 1-0 playoff victory.
The win clinches the series for Lakewood and sends them to the South Atlantic League playoffs.
A second-round pick in 2017 out of California Polytechnic State University, Howard struck out nine batters and walked just one Kannapolis Intimidator on just 103 pitches, 73 for strikes in his second complete game of the season.
MLB Pipeline rates Howard as the Phillies 18th overall prospect and their ninth-best pitching prospect. Howard’s scouting report rates him with a 60 fastball, based on a 20-80 scale, and a 55 slider.
#Phillies prospect Spencer Howard tosses no-hitter, clinches a trip the SAL finals for the @BlueClaws, says it's the best day of his life. pic.twitter.com/YiBJYqsGnz
— Jay Floyd (@PhoulBallz) September 8, 2018
Lakewood led the South Atlantic League Northern division with a 46-23 record en route to their playoff run.
Howard was 9-8 with a 3.78 ERA for the Phillies Single-A club prior to the playoff series starting against Kannapolis.
Last year Howard started his professional career with Short-Season Williamsport and went 1-1 with a 4.45 ERA in nine starts.
In college Howard primarily pitched out of the bullpen, but he’s been a member of the starting rotation ever since joining the Phillies organization. MLB Pipeline projects Howard to reach the big leagues in 2020.
Seeing Howard dominate in a playoff game is a tremendous sign for the Phillies organization as they continue to grow pitching depth.
We highlighted five potential Mike Trout trades that involve a lot of pitching prospects, and although Howard wasn’t mentioned in any of the five deals the organization would need him to step up if they moved any of the arms above him.