| AB | 523 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .258 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .394 |
| HR | 13 |
- Full name Josh Harris Smith
- Born 08/07/1997 in Baton Rouge, LA
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 172 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Louisiana State
- Debut 05/30/2022
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Drafted in the 2nd round (67th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2019 (signed for $976,700).
View Draft Report
Smith doesn’t have any “wow” tools that many of the other 2019 college shortstops possess, but unlike most of them, Smith’s consistency and reliability when healthy has given him a fairly high floor. He handled himself well as a freshman in 2017, hitting .281/.407/.409 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (33) in 72 games, but the following year a stress reaction in his back limited him to just six games. This spring, Smith has been a consistent defender at shortstop, and through his first 48 games, he led Louisiana State in batting average (.348), on-base percentage (.444) and stolen bases (15) and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.525). Smith’s tools are close to average across the board, with his best tool being either a solid-average hit tool or his defensive ability at shortstop. At just 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Smith surprisingly has average raw power, although he isn’t likely to grow into much more power in the future. And while he has terrific defensive instincts and solid hands, some scouts believe he’ll eventually have to move to second base simply because a player with twitchier defensive tools will push him off shortstop in any given organization. Smtih’s size, lack of standout tools and medical history limit his upside in the draft, but SEC shortstops who hit—and hit lefthanded—tend to be drafted high, regardless of their tools. Smith’s track record in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .382/.478/.513 in 22 games in 2017, also adds to his profile. Smith is a high-floor player who should fit somewhere early on Day 2, at the latest.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: Smith was a standout both at Louisiana State and in the Cape Cod League, where he was teammates with future NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India and future NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray. The Yankees selected Smith in the second round of the 2019 draft, then traded him in 2021 to the Rangers as part of the package used to acquire Joey Gallo and Joely Rodriguez.
Scouting Report: Smith’s season was delayed by a few weeks after he dove into a tarp during minor league spring training, but once he got on the field he showed an enticing blend of tools and polish. He did an excellent job working counts to get pitches to drive, then punished balls from gap to gap. He rarely chases, and when he swings at pitches in the zone he almost never misses. Smith hits the ball hard as well, with an average exit velocity of 91.1 mph and a max of 106 mph. Smith is a capable shortstop but likely will begin to move around the diamond to increase his versatility.
The Future: Now that the Rangers have locked up Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to fill their middle infield spots, Smith likely fits the role of a super-utility player. He could make his big league debut in 2022.
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TRACK RECORD: After an excellent track record of production in the Cape Cod League and Louisiana State, Smith produced as expected in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing in 2019. He ranked as the No. 16 prospect on the circuit.
SCOUTING REPORT: Smith doesn't have a standout tool, but he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses either. The Yankees will continue to develop him at shortstop, but he'll get plenty of exposure at other infield spots as well. He's one of the system's best pure contact-makers and shows excellent plate discipline. Put simply: He swings at the right pitches.
THE FUTURE: Smith's pedigree is strong enough that he could begin at high Class A in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: Buoyed by a set of solid tools across the board, Smith put together an excellent junior season at Louisiana State. He also proved himself with wood bats during a stellar season in the Cape Cod League in 2017, when he hit .382/.478/.513 for Harwich. The Yankees, intrigued by his bat-to-ball skills and hard contact from the left side, used their 2019 second-round pick on Smith and signed him for $978,500. A strong college pedigree allowed Smith to make his pro debut at short-season Staten Island, where he showed the same blend of skills that should give him a relatively high floor.
SCOUTING REPORT: His blend of an above-average hit tool and average raw power gives him the profile of the classic professional hitter. He has average foot speed, strong instincts and smooth hands up the middle that will fit nicely at second base.
THE FUTURE: He has the potential to be an offensive-minded second-division regular and could skip over low Class A Charleston and begin his first full season in the Florida State League.
Draft Prospects
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Smith doesn't have any "wow" tools that many of the other 2019 college shortstops possess, but unlike most of them, Smith's consistency and reliability when healthy has given him a fairly high floor. He handled himself well as a freshman in 2017, hitting .281/.407/.409 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (33) in 72 games, but the following year a stress reaction in his back limited him to just six games. This spring, Smith has been a consistent defender at shortstop, and through his first 48 games, he led Louisiana State in batting average (.348), on-base percentage (.444) and stolen bases (15) and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.525). Smith's tools are close to average across the board, with his best tool being either a solid-average hit tool or his defensive ability at shortstop. At just 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Smith surprisingly has average raw power, although he isn't likely to grow into much more power in the future. And while he has terrific defensive instincts and solid hands, some scouts believe he'll eventually have to move to second base simply because a player with twitchier defensive tools will push him off shortstop in any given organization. Smtih's size, lack of standout tools and medical history limit his upside in the draft, but SEC shortstops who hit--and hit lefthanded--tend to be drafted high, regardless of their tools. Smith's track record in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .382/.478/.513 in 22 games in 2017, also adds to his profile. Smith is a high-floor player who should fit somewhere early on Day 2, at the latest. -
If Smith makes it to Louisiana State, he could be the Tigers' shortstop from day one, although his defensive ability could get him drafted well enough to make that a tough decision. He's a polished defender who should be able to stick at the toughest position in the dirt. Smith is an average defender with an above-average arm with adequate feet. He's an average runner. At the plate, the lefty hitter has a chance to be an average hitter as well, although he has well below-average power.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Smith missed most of the 2018 season at Louisiana State with a stress reaction in his vertebrae, but the infielder bounced back and played 65 games before being selected in the 2019 draft. He collected plenty of clutch hits, sitting near the top for all three major offensive categories in the Yankees' offense. Contact is Smith's strength at the plate, as he grinds out at-bats and puts good swings on pitches he can do damage to, but he doesn't project to ever hit for much power. His actions are good at shortstop, although evaluators and managers see him as a future second baseman simply because of a lack of tools. Smith projects to be a backup player but could see plenty of at-bats around the diamond thanks to his feel for the game and advanced baseball IQ.
Scouting Reports
-
Track Record: Smith was a standout both at Louisiana State and in the Cape Cod League, where he was teammates with future NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India and future NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray. The Yankees selected Smith in the second round of the 2019 draft, then traded him in 2021 to the Rangers as part of the package used to acquire Joey Gallo and Joely Rodriguez.
Scouting Report: Smith’s season was delayed by a few weeks after he dove into a tarp during minor league spring training, but once he got on the field he showed an enticing blend of tools and polish. He did an excellent job working counts to get pitches to drive, then punished balls from gap to gap. He rarely chases, and when he swings at pitches in the zone he almost never misses. Smith hits the ball hard as well, with an average exit velocity of 91.1 mph and a max of 106 mph. Smith is a capable shortstop but likely will begin to move around the diamond to increase his versatility.
The Future: Now that the Rangers have locked up Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to fill their middle infield spots, Smith likely fits the role of a super-utility player. He could make his big league debut in 2022.
-
TRACK RECORD: After an excellent track record of production in the Cape Cod League and Louisiana State, Smith produced as expected in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing in 2019. He ranked as the No. 16 prospect on the circuit.
SCOUTING REPORT: Smith doesn't have a standout tool, but he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses either. The Yankees will continue to develop him at shortstop, but he'll get plenty of exposure at other infield spots as well. He's one of the system's best pure contact-makers and shows excellent plate discipline. Put simply: He swings at the right pitches.
THE FUTURE: Smith's pedigree is strong enough that he could begin at high Class A in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: After an excellent track record of production in the Cape Cod League and Louisiana State, Smith produced as expected in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing in 2019. He ranked as the No. 16 prospect on the circuit.
SCOUTING REPORT: Smith doesn't have a standout tool, but he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses either. The Yankees will continue to develop him at shortstop, but he'll get plenty of exposure at other infield spots as well. He's one of the system's best pure contact-makers and shows excellent plate discipline. Put simply: He swings at the right pitches.
THE FUTURE: Smith's pedigree is strong enough that he could begin at high Class A in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: After an excellent track record of production in the Cape Cod League and Louisiana State, Smith produced as expected in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing in 2019. He ranked as the No. 16 prospect on the circuit.
SCOUTING REPORT: Smith doesn't have a standout tool, but he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses either. The Yankees will continue to develop him at shortstop, but he'll get plenty of exposure at other infield spots as well. He's one of the system's best pure contact-makers and shows excellent plate discipline. Put simply: He swings at the right pitches.
THE FUTURE: Smith's pedigree is strong enough that he could begin at high Class A in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: Buoyed by a set of solid tools across the board, Smith put together an excellent junior season at Louisiana State. He also proved himself with wood bats during a stellar season in the Cape Cod BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 45 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: High League in 2017, when he hit .382/.478/.513 for Harwich. The Yankees, intrigued by his bat-to-ball skills and hard contact from the left side, used their 2019 second-round pick on Smith and signed him for $978,500. A strong college pedigree allowed Smith to make his pro debut at short-season Staten Island, where he showed the same blend of skills that should give him a relatively high floor.
SCOUTING REPORT: His blend of an above-average hit tool and average raw power gives him the profile of the classic professional hitter. He has average foot speed, strong instincts and smooth hands up the middle that will fit nicely at second base.
THE FUTURE: He has the potential to be an offensive-minded second-division regular and could skip over low Class A Charleston and begin his first full season in the Florida State League. -
TRACK RECORD: Buoyed by a set of solid tools across the board, Smith put together an excellent junior season at Louisiana State. He also proved himself with wood bats during a stellar season in the Cape Cod League in 2017, when he hit .382/.478/.513 for Harwich. The Yankees, intrigued by his bat-to-ball skills and hard contact from the left side, used their 2019 second-round pick on Smith and signed him for $978,500. A strong college pedigree allowed Smith to make his pro debut at short-season Staten Island, where he showed the same blend of skills that should give him a relatively high floor.
SCOUTING REPORT: His blend of an above-average hit tool and average raw power gives him the profile of the classic professional hitter. He has average foot speed, strong instincts and smooth hands up the middle that will fit nicely at second base.
THE FUTURE: He has the potential to be an offensive-minded second-division regular and could skip over low Class A Charleston and begin his first full season in the Florida State League. -
Smith missed most of the 2018 season at Louisiana State with a stress reaction in his vertebrae, but the infielder bounced back and played 65 games before being selected in the 2019 draft. He collected plenty of clutch hits, sitting near the top for all three major offensive categories in the Yankees' offense. Contact is Smith's strength at the plate, as he grinds out at-bats and puts good swings on pitches he can do damage to, but he doesn't project to ever hit for much power. His actions are good at shortstop, although evaluators and managers see him as a future second baseman simply because of a lack of tools. Smith projects to be a backup player but could see plenty of at-bats around the diamond thanks to his feel for the game and advanced baseball IQ. -
Smith doesn't have any "wow" tools that many of the other 2019 college shortstops possess, but unlike most of them, Smith's consistency and reliability when healthy has given him a fairly high floor. He handled himself well as a freshman in 2017, hitting .281/.407/.409 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (33) in 72 games, but the following year a stress reaction in his back limited him to just six games. This spring, Smith has been a consistent defender at shortstop, and through his first 48 games, he led Louisiana State in batting average (.348), on-base percentage (.444) and stolen bases (15) and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.525). Smith's tools are close to average across the board, with his best tool being either a solid-average hit tool or his defensive ability at shortstop. At just 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Smith surprisingly has average raw power, although he isn't likely to grow into much more power in the future. And while he has terrific defensive instincts and solid hands, some scouts believe he'll eventually have to move to second base simply because a player with twitchier defensive tools will push him off shortstop in any given organization. Smtih's size, lack of standout tools and medical history limit his upside in the draft, but SEC shortstops who hit--and hit lefthanded--tend to be drafted high, regardless of their tools. Smith's track record in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .382/.478/.513 in 22 games in 2017, also adds to his profile. Smith is a high-floor player who should fit somewhere early on Day 2, at the latest.
