MESA, Ariz. — As two minor-league games played out late Tuesday morning, shortstop prospect Ed Howard cycled through batting practice on a separate field.
Howard, who underwent season-ending hip surgery last May, has been hitting and playing defense.
“Just a couple of small hurdles to get over from a baserunning standpoint,” Cubs vice president of player development Jared Banner said in a conversation with the Sun-Times.
Howard is one of several prospects who are recovering from injuries of varying severity, including outfielder Alexander Canario, two-way player Nazier Mule and infielder James Triantos.
The Cubs drafted Howard, a Mount Carmel High School graduate, No. 16 overall in 2020. He struck out at a high rate his first season (30%) in Single-A Myrtle Beach, but he had dramatically cut down his strikeouts in a strong start to 2022 with High-A South Bend when he hurt his hip in a freak play on the bases.
Canario, who broke his left ankle and dislocated his left shoulder while playing in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, is progressing in his rehab but has yet to start baseball activities, Banner said. He had a breakout season last year, clobbering 37 home runs as he climbed from High-A, through Double-A, to Triple-A.
Mule was scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday. The Cubs selected him in the fourth round of last year’s MLB Draft.
Triantos had surgery last week to repair the meniscus in his right knee and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, the Sun-Times confirmed. His prognosis was better than expected. Triantos, lauded for his bat-to-ball skills, hit .327 in rookie ball and .272 in Single-A last year. He was the Cubs’ second-round draft pick in 2021.
Cubs 8, White Sox 5
• Left-hander Drew Smyly allowed four earned runs and 10 hits in four innings. “I’m glad I got through spring training healthy,” he said, “And now it’s time to . . . get going and do what I can to help the team.’’
• The Cubs’ lineup Tuesday included three players who made the Opening Day roster: Smyly, catcher Tucker Barnhart and third baseman Nick Madrigal. Rookie right-hander Hayden Wesneski and catcher Luis Torrens appeared in a minor-league game on the back fields. The rest of the team flew out after Monday’s game.
• Wesneski got up to 84 pitches in the minor-league game before getting on a flight to Chicago.
• On deck: Opening Day, Brewers at Cubs, 1:20 p.m. Thursday, Marquee, 670-AM, Corbin Burnes vs. Marcus Stroman.
