The Rockies inked first baseman Ryan Howard to a minor league contract on Saturday, per a team announcement. Howard signed a minors deal with the Braves at the start of the 2017 season, but was released by the team in May after an 11-game stint in Triple-A Gwinnett.
The 37-year-old infielder has yet to find a landing place in the big leagues after capping a 13-year run with the Phillies in 2016. His final season in the majors yielded uneven results, pairing an impressive 25 home runs with a less impressive .196/.257/.453 batting line in 362 PA.
While he’s far-removed from the 50+ homer, .300+ average of his peak years in Philadelphia, Howard could still bring some veteran experience and modest power potential to the plate in Colorado. Should he secure a spot on the active roster come September, he figures to slot in behind starting first baseman Mark Reynolds, who’s already mashing .278/.363/.504 with 23 homers and an .867 OPS, and No. 3 infield prospect Ryan McMahon.
