Nutshell: Always Battling, the Dakota Mindset
Carter Howell was ready to traverse his high school baseball field layered with stocking caps, thermal shirts, hand warmers and a face mask.
Carter Howell was ready to traverse his high school baseball field layered with stocking caps, thermal shirts, hand warmers and a face mask.
The conditions were the exact opposite of the weather associated with baseball, but it was normal for Howell’s home in western Minnesota.
“We would do some inner squads in February that were pretty miserable,” Howell said. “It’d be like our first time outside, and I just remember being cold and just trying to find any ways to stay warm.”
Howell was born in Fargo, N.D., but grew up in the neighboring town of Moorehead, Minn. The average low temperatures hover in the single digits during the winter. The frigid climate is complimented by heavy snowfall and blizzards. Occasionally, his high school baseball season was delayed until April or May due to the heavy snow.
Despite playing both football and hockey, Howell found his calling with baseball but received only one college offer. The scholarship was primarily an academic award from Division II Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. The snow followed him.
“We would do a lot of shoveling of our field just to get the season started earlier and to get games in,” Howell said. "If it was March, but it was 40 and sunny out, we would be out there shoveling and we would practice outside that day. Next day, you might get a blizzard, but that one day, you got to practice outside.”
CARTER HOWELL WALKS IT OFF!!!!! pic.twitter.com/oNNcXm5xk2
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 12, 2024
Like the French explorers who first discovered South Dakota, Howell endured the blistering cold and pushed on to receive just one at-bat his freshman season. He ended the year at home, cut from the travel roster, and watched his team win the program’s first ever Division II World Series.
Howell was disappointed not to be with his teammates, but it instilled in him a desire to compete. He admitted to being undersized as a freshman and quickly turned his attention to the weight room.
Over the course of his collegiate career, Howell gained 40 pounds of muscle. His lifting program pushed him to get stronger physically along with a friend group that forged his mental strength.
“We all pushed each other together and especially since we weren’t recruited as the cream of the crop,” Howell said. "We were all undersized and had some tools, but we all had to work on it together and get to where we wanted to be together.”
KETCHUP WITH YA LATER, BALL 👋
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 17, 2024
Carter Howell leaves the yard for his first home run in Double-A! pic.twitter.com/fpEmWsJntK
The awards and accolades snowballed for Howell in his sophomore and junior seasons, including a Division II First-Team All-America honor in 2022. That summer, Howell weathered another storm after not hearing his name called during the MLB draft.
Twenty minutes after the draft concluded, Howell received a call from Tom Shafer, the Midwest area scout with the San Francisco Giants, offering him a free agent contract for $50,000. The opportunity took Howell and his agent by surprise, and he immediately pursued it.
“I didn’t give him a chance to say no,” Howell joked. “I had to clarify with him if he said five with three zeros or five with four zeros just to figure out what he was offering.”
Through his first professional season, Howell tore through the Low-A California League and the High-A Northwest League. He led all Giants minor league players with 144 hits and eight triples. He also ranked second amongst Giants minor league batters with a .294 average, second with 94 hits and fifth with a .811 OPS.
Despite his excellent numbers, Howell felt that his 2023 season fluctuated between good and bad weeks. He mentioned that keeping consistent momentum is a priority for his season with Double-A Richmond.
Molded by the cold winters and a career full of battles, Howell strives to be the hardest worker on the field. There have only been 20 Major League players born in the state of North Dakota, and Howell is looking to chisel his name onto that list.
“My feeling has always been that if I work as hard as I can, am really good teammate to everybody and play as hard as I can, everything else is going to take care of itself,” Howell said. “I think I’ve got talent and skill, but also I know that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t work hard to get to where you truly can be.”
Favorite sports stadium? – Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota
What’s your signature dish? – Lemon bow tie chicken pasta
When did you first pick up a baseball bat? – When I was 3 years old
Best movie of all time? – Shawshank Redemption
What is your favorite off the field activity? – Spending time with friends and family
Favorite player growing up? – Joe Mauer
Most inspirational people in your life? – My fiancé, my grandparents and my parents
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