Armani Smith

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #278 prospect in 2019 draft
  A 35th-round pick by Indians in 2016, Smith mostly struggled in his first two seasons at UC Santa Barbara before breaking out this spring as a junior. He developed an effective launch angle swing under Gauchos associate head coach Donegal Fergus, keeping his bat in the zone longer on an uphill path to get to his massive raw power. Smith is built like a linebacker at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, and he has raw power some evaluators grade as an 80. He is a slugger with supreme bat speed who makes balls disappear when he connects, and he has the strength to muscle balls out even when he mishits them. Smith's ability to make contact is steadily improving, although he still projects as a below-average hitter. He is an average right fielder with a fringe-average arm. Smith's physicality, power and improved contact rate have him in consideration in the top 10 rounds. How well he maintains his new swing in pro ball will be key to his rise.
• Ranked #446 prospect in 2016 draft
  Smith plays shortstop at famed De La Salle High and has grown into a strong 6-foot-2, 195-pounder over the course of his prep career. His father Chris was a second-round pick in 1992 of the Angels and played parts of four seasons in pro ball. The younger Smith is committed to UC Santa Barbara. Smith has shown a good swing and some present strength that should allow him to hit either as a pro or if he gets to campus. His other tools grade out as below- or fringe-average presently, though he has a chance to stay in the infield.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #17 prospect in 2019
  Without question, Smith’s calling card is his raw power, which manifests in both batting practice and games. Scouts who saw him at UC Santa Barbara even suggested his raw power could rank as an 80 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. Smith worked with Gauchos head coach Donegal Fergus to incorporate a steeper launch angle in his swing to help put more of his hard contact in the air and over the fence. The result was a breakout season with 11 homers with a strikeout percentage of just 15.4 percent. He continued to produce average, on-base and power skills with Salem-Keizer, albeit with much more swing-and-miss. He’s blessed with an extremely strong build and proved himself to be an average outfielder with a nearly average arm. If he can maintain his new swing in pro ball and continue to get to his power against more advanced pitching, he could have an extremely bright future as the classic big, hairy masher in the middle of a lineup.

• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  A 35th-round pick by Indians in 2016, Smith mostly struggled in his first two seasons at UC Santa Barbara before breaking out this spring as a junior. He developed an effective launch angle swing under Gauchos associate head coach Donegal Fergus, keeping his bat in the zone longer on an uphill path to get to his massive raw power. Smith is built like a linebacker at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, and he has raw power some evaluators grade as an 80. He is a slugger with supreme bat speed who makes balls disappear when he connects, and he has the strength to muscle balls out even when he mishits them. Smith's ability to make contact is steadily improving, although he still projects as a below-average hitter. He is an average right fielder with a fringe-average arm. Smith's physicality, power and improved contact rate have him in consideration in the top 10 rounds. How well he maintains his new swing in pro ball will be key to his rise.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Without question, Smith’s calling card is his raw power, which manifests in both batting practice and games. Scouts who saw him at UC Santa Barbara even suggested his raw power could rank as an 80 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. Smith worked with Gauchos head coach Donegal Fergus to incorporate a steeper launch angle in his swing to help put more of his hard contact in the air and over the fence. The result was a breakout season with 11 homers with a strikeout percentage of just 15.4 percent. He continued to produce average, on-base and power skills with Salem-Keizer, albeit with much more swing-and-miss. He’s blessed with an extremely strong build and proved himself to be an average outfielder with a nearly average arm. If he can maintain his new swing in pro ball and continue to get to his power against more advanced pitching, he could have an extremely bright future as the classic big, hairy masher in the middle of a lineup.