Seth Smith Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3582
AVG	.261
OBP	.344
SLG	.446
HR	126

Full name Garry Seth Smith
Born 09/30/1982 in Jackson, MS
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Mississippi
Debut 09/16/2007
Drafted in the 2nd round (50th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2004 (signed for $690,000).

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Smith won't go No. 1 overall in the draft, as his Ole Miss football teammate Eli Manning did in the NFL draft. Smith never got into a game backing up Manning at quarterback for three seasons, but his baseball career blossomed. Most scouts agree there's much more to come once Smith, who is on a football scholarship, gives up football for good. He played for Team USA last summer, his first extended experience with a wood bat, and ranked second on the team in batting (.322) and home runs (four) while also playing some center field. His spring didn't start well, but his performance picked up as he stopped thinking about hitting for power and let his natural hitting ability take over. He was batting .310-7-39 overall. Blessed with excellent hand-eye coordination, Smith makes consistent, hard contact and projects to hit for power with more experience and strength. His other tools play well. He's a 6.7 runner over 60 yards, has an average arm and is decent in center, though he profiles better for right. He won't be a fast-moving college pick because of his relative baseball inexperience.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Smith is a quality athlete who went to Mississippi as a quarterback, but got stuck behind Eli Manning and never took a snap in three years as the backup. A 48th-round pick of Arizona out of high school, he was a member of Team USA when it won a silver medal in the 2003 Pan American games. Smith has the best swing of any player in the Rockies organization. He is a prototypical lefthanded bat, a low-ball hitter who has shown the ability to drive balls into the gaps. He has an excellent feel for the strike zone, and while his home run totals have been modest, he has given the Rockies reason to believe his power is coming on by hitting opposite-field homers in Washington and San Francisco last year. Smith has the ability to play any of the three outfield positions and has a strong, accurate arm, but still hasn't shown the ability to stay focused defensively. He will get himself out of rhythm at the plate when he exaggerates the leg kick he uses as a timing mechanism. Smith is ready to stay in the big leagues. He already has shown the awareness to handle the challenge of coming off the bench (14-for-42 as a big league pinch-hitter), and with the departure of Matt Holliday gets his shot this year to lay claim to an everyday job.
A backup quarterback to Eli Manning at Mississippi--he never took a snap in three years--Smith has made rapid strides in baseball since signing with the Rockies and concentrating on one sport. He played a key role down the stretch in 2007, going 8-for-14 as a pinch-hitter. He provided a crucial triple in the wild-card playoff against the Padres and the game-winning double in the pennant-clincher against the Diamondbacks. Smith has a pure swing and was able to maintain his mechanics even while coming off the bench. He has shown more power as he has advanced to higher levels, setting new career highs for homers in each of the last two years, though he doesn't get caught up trying to drive the ball over the fence. His plate discipline has improved as well. He can fall into slumps when he gets too carried away with the leg lift he uses as a timing mechancism. Smith has above-average speed but needs to work on his baserunning. He can play center field on at least a part-time basis but fits better in right field. He has a strong arm and has recorded 44 assists in the last three seasons. Blocked by Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe in Colorado, Smith will have to be content as a backup in 2008.
Smith was the backup at quarterback to Eli Manning for three seasons at Mississippi but never took a snap and knew his future was in baseball. Others, however, had doubts until last season. Smith finally showed an energy that scouts were concerned didn't exist. He grasped the need to play hard all the time and to treat the game as a business. Lasik surgery also was the key for Smith, who got rid of the contacts and glasses that he was never comfortable wearing. He has a pure hitter's swing and should get better as a hitter at the higher levels when pitchers are more around the plate. He has the power to hit the ball out of the park and has been a doubles machine in his pro career, tying for the minor league lead in 2006 and hitting 91 the past two seasons. Last year, he began to show more over-the-fence juice, but he stays inside the ball well and focuses on driving the ball to the gaps. He's a solid outfielder who could play some center field, but doesn't have the speed to play out there regularly in a big outfield. He's ready for his first Triple-A assignment, and Colorado Springs is the perfect venue to turn some of his doubles into home runs.
The Rockies have had success with quarterbacks giving up football for baseball, with Todd Helton and Matt Holliday as the prime examples. Now comes Smith, who served as Eli Manning's backup at Mississippi, though he never took a snap in his three years. Colorado was pleased to land him in the second round in 2004. He overmatched the Pioneer League in his pro debut but wasn't nearly as dominant in the hitter-friendly California League last year. Smith has a smooth swing and he stays inside the ball. He has to guard against getting power-conscious, a problem that caused some concerns during his junior year at Mississippi and caused him to slip out of the first round. He didn't control the strike zone very well in 2005. His homer output (nine) also was disappointing, but he did hit 45 doubles and should have more over-the-fence power as he matures as a hitter. Smith is a strong athlete who runs well underway but doesn't figure to be a basestealing threat. His arm is average, though he needs a lot of work defensively in the outfield. A center fielder in college, he played primarily in right field last year. The Rockies would like to see him show a better work ethic to address his shortcomings in Double-A this year.
Smith was Eli Manning's backup quarterback at Mississippi, but he didn't take a snap in three years. He projected as a first-round pick after finishing second on Team USA with a .332 average and four homers in 2003, but a slow start last spring dropped him to the 50th overall pick. After signing for $690,000, he made the Pioneer League all-star team in his debut. Smith should hit for average and plus power. He exhibits excellent hand-eye coordination and makes consistent, hard contact with natural loft in his swing. He has above-average speed and solid average arm strength. The Rockies also like his mental toughness. His athleticism is impressive, but it's not enough. Smith has to get more aggressive on the diamond. A center fielder in college, he likely will have to play on a corner as a pro. He needs to improve his throwing, which should happen as his upper body loosens up now that he's not playing football. Colorado may skip Smith a level to high Class A to begin his first full season. He's the Rockies' right fielder of the future.

Minor League Top Prospects

Smith entered 2004 as one of the top college hitting prospects for the draft before slumping. But after he served as Eli Manning's backup at quarterback for three years at Mississippi, most scouts believe Smith will reach his considerable upside now that football is out of the picture. Blessed with excellent hand-eye coordination, Smith makes consistent, hard contact and projects to hit for power. He has a knack for driving in runs and his other tools play well. He has average speed and arm strength, profiling as a right fielder. "He's learned a lot this summer," Carey said. "He's learned about his capabilities as a hitter and he could be an exciting offensive player."