Kevin Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Howard |
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Howard with the Las Vegas 51s in 2009
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| Infielder / Assistant hitting coach | |||
| Born: June 25, 1981 Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S. |
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As coach
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Kevin C. Howard (born June 25, 1981) is an American who used to play professional baseball. He was an infielder, which means he played positions like first base, second base, third base, or shortstop. After his playing career, he became a coach, even working as an assistant hitting coach for the New York Mets in 2021.
Playing Baseball as a Youngster
Kevin Howard went to Westlake High School. When he was a senior in 1999, he was named the best player in Ventura County by the Los Angeles Times. Kevin also played football in high school!
Even though the San Diego Padres picked him in the 1999 baseball draft, Kevin decided to go to college instead. He chose to attend the University of Miami.
While at the University of Miami in 2000, Kevin played collegiate summer baseball for a team called the Wareham Gatemen. This is a special league where top college players get to play during the summer. In 2001, Kevin and his Miami team won the 2001 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, which is like the national championship for college baseball. He even played against a former high school teammate in the World Series! In 2001, Kevin was also chosen to play for the United States national baseball team.
Professional Baseball Career
Kevin Howard was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. This meant the Reds had the chance to sign him to play for their team. He started his professional journey in 2003 with the Single-A Dayton Dragons.
Over the next few years, Kevin played for several different teams in the minor leagues. The minor leagues are where players develop their skills before hopefully making it to Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for teams like the Potomac Cannons and the Chattanooga Lookouts.
In 2005, Kevin was traded to the New York Yankees. He spent the 2006 season with their Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder. After that, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and then the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played for the Jacksonville Suns and the Las Vegas 51s.
Kevin continued his minor league career, playing for teams like the Tacoma Rainiers (for the Seattle Mariners) and the Portland Beavers (for the San Diego Padres). He also played for the Toronto Blue Jays organization and the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Later in his career, Kevin played in independent baseball leagues. These leagues are not directly connected to Major League Baseball teams. He played for the Lancaster Barnstormers and the Lincoln Saltdogs.
Kevin Howard played professional baseball for 10 seasons in the minor leagues and two seasons in independent leagues. When he stopped playing after the 2014 season, he had hit 93 home runs and had 540 runs batted in (RBI) during his minor league career.
Becoming a Coach
After his playing days were over, Kevin Howard went back to the University of Miami to finish his business management degree. While he was there, he started coaching at Barry University.
Soon, the Cleveland Indians baseball team contacted him about becoming a coach in their organization. In 2015, he joined the Indians as a hitting coach for one of their minor league teams, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. A hitting coach helps players improve their batting skills. By 2019, Kevin was promoted to the team's hitting coordinator, which meant he oversaw all the hitting coaches in the organization.
On January 21, 2021, Kevin Howard was hired by the New York Mets. He became their executive director of player development. This role involves helping young players grow and get better. A few months later, in May 2021, the Mets promoted him to assistant hitting coach for their main Major League Baseball team. After that season, he returned to his role as director of player development.
