Marquez Smith
| AB | 3890 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .278 |
| OBP | .365 |
| SLG | .474 |
| HR | 150 |
- Full name Marquez Jamal Smith
- Born 03/20/1985 in Panama City, FL
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Clemson
- Drafted in the 8th round (247th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2007 (signed for $30,000).
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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A teammate of Tyler Colvin's at Clemson, Smith turned down the Cubs as a 35th-round pick in 2006. He signed for $30,000 when Chicago drafted him in the eighth round the following year. Smith turned in a solid first full pro season in 2008 despite being nagged by hamstring and finger injuries much of the time. He has quick wrists and a reasonably disciplined approach, allowing him to hit for a decent average with some power. There's more life and athleticism in his squatty frame than might be apparent at first glance. Though Smith is a slightly below-average runner, he's a surprisingly versatile defender with a strong arm. Hawaii Winter Baseball named him its defensive player of the year for his work at third base for the league champion Waikiki BeachBoys, and he also gets the job done at second base. Shortstop would be a stretch because Smith wouldn't haven enough range, but there's no reason he couldn't play the outfield corners. With his build, bat and arm, he'd be an intriguing candidate for a catching conversion. Smith will move up to Double-A in 2009. There may not be a big league starting job in his future, but he could provide value as a utilityman with pop.
