Skip to Main Content
Now Playing

Share Video

Link copied!
Player Outlook
Cam Smith, the No. 14 overall pick last year, may have had the best statistical debut of any hitter in the class. He slashed .313/.396/.609 with seven home runs and a 24:15 K:BB in 32 games across Single-A, High-A and Double-A and has been improving rapidly as a hitter over the past couple years. He was among the top gainers in the country in both contact rate (70.6 percent to 82.1 percent) and 90th percentile exit velocity (106.5 mph to 111.3 mph) from 2023 to 2024 en route to rising up boards as a draft-eligible sophomore at Florida State. A 6-foot-3, 225-pound brick house with big-league strength, Smith also excelled over a large sample with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League (.981 OPS, 12.8 K%), which is an important datapoint. There were questions about his swing plane coming out of school and how much over-the-fence power he'd get to, so it's worth noting that six of his seven homers came at Single-A, where he had a 28.6 percent groundball rate, before Smith's groundball rate jumped to around 50 percent at High-A and Double-A. He'll likely return to Double-A with a potential bump to Triple-A around midseason. Smith has the upside of a .300 hitter with 25-30 homer pop. The Cubs sent him to the Astros in the Kyle Tucker trade in December, though that shouldn't significantly affect Smith's immediate outlook. It's worth noting however, that Houston fortified its corner infield this offseason by acquiring Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, with the latter also being included in the Tucker trade.

Fantasy News

  • Astros' Cam Smith: Starting in right field Thursday

    Smith will start in right field and bat cleanup in Thursday's split-squad game against the Cardinals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. After acclimating himself to the position on the back fields, Smith will play right for the first time in a Grapefruit League game while running with the rest of Houston's "A" lineup. Acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Smith is widely considered his new organization's top prospect, and he appears to have a real chance to make the Opening Day roster despite limited experience in the minors. The 22-year-old is 9-for-20 with a pair of homers and seven RBI so far this spring.
    ... See More ... See Less
  • Astros' Cam Smith: Playing right field on back fields

    Smith will play five innings in right field in a game on the back fields Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Astros manager Joe Espada said earlier Tuesday that Smith would play right field in a Grapefruit League game soon, and apparently he'll be eased into things in the outfield in a lower-profile contest right away. Whether Smith is being truly considered as an option to open the season in right field for the Astros is very much up in the air, but the third-base prospect adding to his versatility would give him an additional path to playing time with the big club.
    ... See More ... See Less
  • Astros' Cam Smith: Will play right field in games soon

    Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Smith will play right field in a Grapefruit League game soon, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Smith is a natural third baseman and his long-term home is probably still at the hot corner, but he did see a little action in left field during the Cape Cod League in 2023. The 22-year-old has wowed the Astros this spring, going 8-for-13 with two home runs and a 2:5 K:BB. While a spot on the Opening Day roster for Smith is probably still a long shot, it does seem as though he'll debut sooner rather than later, and showing comfortability in the outfield could speed up that timetable.
    ... See More ... See Less
  • Astros' Cam Smith: Chance to crack Opening Day roster

    Despite a limited output in the minor leagues in 2024, Smith has a chance at cracking the Astros' Opening Day roster thanks to a strong showing in spring training, Michael Shapiro of Chron.com reports. Across six spring training games and 15 plate appearances, Smith has recorded one triple, two home runs and seven RBI while drawing seven walks and scoring five runs. He had only 134 plate appearances in the minors in 2024 and didn't even play Triple-A ball, but if Christian Walker (oblique) isn't able to play for the start of the regular season, Shapiro relays that the Astros could shift Isaac Paredes to first base while starting Smith, Mauricio Dubon or Zach Dezenzo at the hot corner. Even if he weren't to make the Opening Day roster, Smith stands to have a chance at getting a call-up to the majors at some point during the 2025 campaign.
    ... See More ... See Less
  • Astros' Cam Smith: Homers twice Tuesday

    Smith cranked a two-run home run and a solo blast in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game versus the Mets. Smith didn't start the game but homered in both of his plate appearances, taking Chris Devenski deep in the sixth inning and then sending one over the boards off Connor Overton in the eighth. The top prospect has reached base in all four plate appearances this spring, having drawn walks in his first two trips to the dish. Acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Smith has just 32 games of pro ball under his belt but could move quickly through the Astros' system.
    ... See More ... See Less
  • Cubs' Cam Smith: Dominant start to pro career

    Smith was promoted from Single-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend on Tuesday. The 14th overall pick in this year's draft, Smith hit .313 with six homers in 15 games at Single-A, so it was time for more of a challenge. He's hitting .500 with one double, two strikeouts and one walk in two games at High-A.
    ... See More ... See Less

Recent Tweets