Jason Smith
| AB | 576 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .212 |
| OBP | .248 |
| SLG | .361 |
| HR | 17 |
- Full name Jason William Smith
- Born 07/24/1977 in Meridian CC, MS
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Meridian CC
- Debut 06/17/2001
- Drafted in the 23rd round (682nd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 1996.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Tampa Bay acquired Smith as the player to be named later in the Fred McGriff deal trade with the Cubs. Smith missed almost all of 1999 with hamstring problems, which struck him again last year during the regular season and the Arizona Fall League. The Rays' medical staff has taken steps that they hope will improve the situation and allow him to contribute in Tampa Bay in the near future. A tools player, Smith has good athleticism and plus speed. He also provides some solid lefthanded pop for a middle infielder, though he has struggled throughout his career with his plate discipline. Defensively, Smith is inconsistent with the glove and has an average arm. If the Devil Rays hadn't re-signed Chris Gomez, they had planned on giving Smith a chance to earn their starting job during spring training. Now he'll go to Triple-A instead. -
Before the Cubs took Luis Montanez with their 2000 first-round pick, Smith had the best tools among the system's shortstops. After missing most of 1999 with hamstring problems, he looked like he was finally translating his athleticism into baseball aptitude last season. But after hitting .322-8-29 through May, he batted just .186-4-32 over the final three months. He has solid pop for a middle infielder, but Smith has woeful plate discipline. His baserunning instincts aren't as impressive as his speed, and he's inconsistent at shortstop. With Bobby Hill and Nate Frese set to form Chicago's Double-A double-play combination in 2001, Smith will have to move up to Triple-A. If he doesn't improve, they'll both pass him by.
