The Houston Astros may have their most promising younger participant on the roster once they open their season on Thursday towards the New York Mets. Cam Smith, obtained from the Chicago Cubs as a part of the Kyle Tucker commerce, has made Houston’s Opening Day roster, the workforce introduced Tuesday.
Smith, 22, was drafted 14th total final summer time by the Cubs. In 32 minor-league video games final season, he batted .313/.396/.609. He continued to indicate off his offensive efficiency this spring, hitting .342/.419/.711 with 4 residence runs in 15 exhibition contests. As a reward, he’ll now turn out to be the primary participant from final 12 months’s draft to achieve the most important leagues.
CBS Sports activities not too long ago ranked Smith because the twenty sixth finest prospect within the minor leagues. Here is what we wrote on the time:
Smith ascended from a so-so first season at Florida State to being made the 14th decide within the draft because of a tweaked swing that allowed him to enormously scale back his strikeout price. He is now able to contributing in every of the triple-slash classes, along with his above-average power particularly giving him middle-of-the-order potential. (To wit, none of his seven skilled residence runs had been complete pull jobs; they had been all hit to left-center, middle, or proper area.) Questions stay about his long-term defensive residence. Evaluators have expressed the assumption he might slide from third base to a special nook in due time. The Astros, who obtained Smith within the Kyle Tucker commerce, have acknowledged they intend to crosstrain him at every nook place as a way of bettering his and their optionality alike.
Defensively, the Astros had Smith break up his time between third base (his pure place) and proper area. The Astros, after all, additionally obtained third baseman Isaac Paredes within the Tucker deal, suggesting that Smith is more likely to see most of his enjoying time in proper area.
Longtime second baseman Jose Altuve is predicted to transition from the keystone to left area, giving the Astros two newcomers within the corners.
