EASTLAKE, Ohio – For the week of June 30-July 5, Lake County is recognizing LHP Michael Kennedy and C Tyler Howard as the 14th set of Captains of the Week for the 2026 season for their impressive showings against the West Michigan Whitecaps.
MICHAEL KENNEDY, LHP
Kennedy had a strong start against West Michigan this past week.
The left-hander earned his eighth win of the season in Lake County’s 10-3 victory over the Whitecaps on Friday, July 3. He allowed just two runs on three hits in 5.1 innings of work, throwing six strikeouts to just one walk in 84 pitches (50 strikes).
Kennedy leads the Midwest League and is tied for the High-A lead with eight wins this season. In 14 appearances (four starts) for the Captains, the 21-year-old has logged a 4.77 ERA, one save, and 52 strikeouts to just 23 walks in 54.2 innings pitched. Over his last five outings (four starts) he is 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA, 27 strikeouts to only nine walks, a 0.92 WHIP, and a .165 opposing batting average in 25 innings of work.
Kennedy was acquired by the Cleveland Guardians from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a trade on Dec. 10, 2024. The Troy, New York native was originally a fourth-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Pirates out of Troy HS (NY). He was assigned to Lake County’s 2025 Opening Day roster, going 2-2 with a 3.32 ERA, one save, and 61 strikeouts to only 25 walks in 62.1 innings pitched across 16 appearances (nine starts) for the Captains last year.
TYLER HOWARD, C
Howard excelled at the plate in his High-A debut series against West Michigan this past week.
After being promoted to Lake County from Single-A Hill City on Tuesday, June 30, the right-handed hitter batted .308 with four hits, four runs, one home run, three RBI, five walks to just three strikeouts in his first four career High-A games. He also logged a .500 on-base percentage, a .538 slugging percentage, and a 1.038 OPS in 18 plate appearances for the Captains.
Howard reached base in all four games he played this past week, including hitting safely in each of his last three. He hit his first career High-A home run on Saturday, July 4, a go-ahead three-run shot in the sixth inning that ultimately proved to be the difference in a 6-5 Lake County victory.
Across Lake County and Single-A Hill City, the 22-year-old is batting .265 with 44 hits, six doubles, two home runs, 22 RBI, 41 walks, and a .417 on-base percentage in 53 games this season.
Howard was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the 11th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Portland, where his .444 career on-base percentage across three seasons ranks second in program history for the Pilots. Soon after being drafted, the Vancouver, Washington native made his pro debut with the 2025 Single-A Carolina League Champion Lynchburg Hillcats (now Hill City Howlers). He batted .313 with 10 hits, four RBI, and four walks in nine regular-season games before hitting a double in Game 1 of the 2025 Carolina League North Division Championship Series at Fredericksburg (Single-A, Washington Nationals).
The Captains will return to Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake for a six-game home series versus the Lansing Lugnuts from Tuesday, July 7 through Sunday, July 12 with a variety of exciting promotions in store.
The Captains will begin the homestand with Community Champions Night for the military on Tuesday, July 7. This will be followed by iSTEM Night on Wednesday, July 8 and DAWG Night presented by Thirsty Dog celebrating Wiener Dogs (Dachshunds) on Thursday, July 9. Then, Monster Hockey Night on Friday, July 10 will feature the Cleveland Monsters and a postgame Fireworks Friday show presented by DDM Fireworks. On Saturday, July, 11, the Captains will host their Fish Fry Festival, where the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Benny the Blue Pike Bobblehead presented by Discount Drug Mart and Lake County will suit up as the Lake County Fish Fry’s for the second and final time this season. Finally, the Captains will host their Mascot Olympics and Family Fun Sunday presented by Classic Auto Group to conclude the series on Sunday, July 12.
For Tuesday through Thursday only, the Captains are offering a flash sale with $2.50 tickets to continue the celebration of America 250! Fans can purchase these limited-time tickets here by entering the coupon code USA250, clicking “Apply,” then selecting their tickets.
The series will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, the MiLB App, and StreamGuys, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram. Lake County’s Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday games will also be broadcast on the Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN).
About the Lake County Captains:
The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.