He's Canberra's new $6 million man. Not a bad pay day to start your sporting career with.
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Canberra Cavalry recruit Ed Howard's sign-on fee for Major League Baseball team Chicago Cubs was US$3.75 million - the equivalent to $6 million.
But with that sort of money comes pressure - although Howard didn't see it as a bad thing.
The humble 21-year-old felt pressure made the game more enjoyable.
A broken hip has impacted the start of Howard's young career, which is why he's found his way Down Under to get in some "winter baseball" to make up for lost time.
He'll get his first taste of the ABL when the Cavalry takes on arch-rival Sydney Blue Sox at Blacktown on Friday night in the first of the four-game series.
Howard's just three years into his baseball journey after the Cubs took him at pick 16 in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft.
He's got a career batting average of .220 and has come to Canberra to hone his craft at the plate.
Howard will return to the USA after round six, with fellow Cubs prospect Scott McKeon replacing him on the Cavalry roster.
"I don't really think too much about pressure. Pressure is a good thing. It wouldn't be any fun if there wasn't any pressure behind it, honestly," he said.
"I take whatever comes with it. That signing bonus as a high schooler, that's a blessing. It's just my hard work paying off.
"It's more hard work to be done ... I take that [bonus], I'm thankful for it, but I still have to work. I've got a ways to go, so that's what I'm focused on."
A freak injury has slowed down the start of his Cubs career, breaking his hip attempting to get to first base.
He tried to dodge a tag and fell awkwardly - ending his 2022 campaign in May.
It took a year for Howard to get back on the ballpark, but he's put the injury behind him.
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He's liked what he's seen of Canberra since arriving two weeks ago and had a good feeling about the squad's chances of pushing for the championship.
"It was a hip fracture. It took a year of rehab so I came back, started playing 'ball 12 months later," Howard said.
"I feel good, blessed to put that behind me. Of course the rehab process is not a fun time, it's hard work, and now I'm back on the field so I'm blessed to be back healthy.
"I was running down the first-base line, I tried to dodge a tag, kind of jumped out of the way, landed on the hip wrong and ended up fracturing it. It was just a freak accident."
Cavalry manager Keith Ward predicted Howard would be one of the best shortstops in the ABL.
Ward was equally happy with the squad he's assembled, with the pitching set to be a "real strength" of the squad.
He'll start with Kodai Hamaya in the season opener, with Mark Moclair, Kevin McGovern and Won Bin Hong rounding out the starting rotation.
"From what we've seen of [Ed] so far he's going to be a very handy pick-up for us - both offensively, but particularly defensively," Ward said.
"Very, very good shortstop even though he's only 21 years of age.
"We're excited to have him because the sky's the limit for him and he understands that he's on a journey that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to experience."
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