Kevan Smith (baseball)

Kevan Alan Smith (born June 28, 1988) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He previously played for the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels. Prior to playing professionally, Smith attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he played for the Pittsburgh Panthers baseball and football teams. The White Sox selected Smith in the seventh round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut in 2016.

Kevan Smith
Smith with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019
Tampa Bay Rays
Catcher
Born: (1988-06-28) June 28, 1988
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 1, 2016, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.272
Home runs12
Runs batted in71
Teams

Amateur career

Smith attended Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, Pennsylvania, graduating in 2006.[1] During his high school career, he played for the school's American football team as a quarterback, but was limited to only 12 games.[2]

Smith enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh and played for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team. He redshirted during his first year at Pittsburgh, in 2006,[3] and became the Panthers' starting quarterback in 2007 following an injury to Bill Stull.[2] He lost his starting role to Pat Bostick, a freshman, after struggling in a 2007 game against the Michigan State Spartans.[3] He appeared in five games during the 2007 season, and one game during the 2008 season.[4]

After the 2008 season, coach Dave Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh approached Smith about changing positions.[4] As Smith had increased his weight training, they considered moving him to outside linebacker or tight end.[5] He instead opted to quit football so that he could play for the Pittsburgh Panthers baseball team.[4] For the baseball team, Smith had a .375 batting average, 19 home runs and 123 runs batted in (RBIs) in his three seasons.[5] He was twice named an All-Big East Conference selection and twice named to the All-Tournament Team in the Big East Conference Baseball Tournament.[6]

Professional career

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox selected Smith in the seventh round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.[7] He began his career with the Bristol White Sox of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. He was promoted mid season to the Great Falls Voyagers of the Rookie-level Pioneer League. He began the 2012 season with the Kannapolis Intimidators of the Class A South Atlantic League. Towards the end of the season, Smith was promoted to the Winston Salem Dash of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. In 2013, Smith played the whole season for Winston-Salem.[5]

In 2014, Smith played for the Birmingham Barons of the Class AA Southern League.[8][9] He hit .290 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs in 106 games for Birmingham, and threw out 33 percent of baserunners attempting stolen bases.[10] After the 2014 season, the White Sox assigned Smith to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.[11][12] On November 20, 2014, the White Sox added Smith to their 40-man roster.[10] Smith spent the 2015 season with the Charlotte Knights of the Class AAA International League,[13] and began 2016 in Charlotte.[14]

With Alex Avila going on the disabled list, the White Sox promoted Smith to the major leagues on April 24, 2016.[14] Smith was scratched from the lineup on April 25 with back spasms, and the White Sox put Smith on the disabled list due to sacroiliac joint dysfunction the next day.[15][16] On May 22, 2016, he was activated from the 15-day disabled list and returned to Charlotte. One game after his activation with the Knights, he went back on the disabled list.[17] The White Sox promoted Smith to the major leagues on September 1, and he made his major league debut that day.[18] He recorded his first two major league hits on September 17.[19] On February 10, 2017, Smith cleared waivers and was outrighted to Charlotte.[20]

Smith began the 2017 season with Charlotte,[21] and was promoted to the major leagues on April 13.[22] In 2017 with the White Sox he batted .283/.309/.388 with 4 home runs and 30 RBIs in 273 at bats.[23]

In 2018 with the White Sox he batted .292/.348/.380 with 3 home runs and 21 RBIs in 171 at bats.[23]

Los Angeles Angels

On October 26, 2018, Smith was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.[24] On December 2, 2019, Smith was non-tendered by the Angels and became a free agent.[25]

Tampa Bay Rays

On January 11, 2020, Smith signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.[26] Smith was promoted to the Rays' major league roster on July 21, 2020, after Colin Poche was placed on the injured list following a torn UCL.[27] He was designated for assignment on August 9, and was outrighted by the Rays on August 12.[28]

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References
  1. "Tradition of Western Pennsylvania quarterbacks continues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  2. "Pitt QB Smith ready for chance". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. September 13, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. "QB Smith's poor play opens door for Bostick". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  4. "Pitt QB Smith leaving football team to play baseball". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. January 24, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  5. "Dash's Smith, once a QB, now in charge at catcher". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  6. "Kevan Smith - Future Sox". ChicagoNow. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  7. "2 local stars go very high in MLB Draft". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  8. "Barons catcher Kevan Smith takes pride in helping Birmingham pitchers have success". AL.com. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  9. Rizzo, Josh (June 16, 2014). "Smith making big impact at plate in Double A". The Cranberry Eagle. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  10. "White Sox Make 7 Minor Roster Moves". cbslocal.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  11. "White Sox prospects assigned in AZ Fall League". Sun Times. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  12. "Arizona Fall League in Review". chicagonow.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  13. James, Pat (June 15, 2015). "Ex-QB Kevan Smith a steadying presence as Knights' catcher with big-league dreams". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  14. "White Sox: Kevan Smith soaking in promotion to majors". CSN Chicago. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  15. Kane, Colleen (April 25, 2016). "White Sox catcher Kevan Smith's major-league debut derailed by back spasms". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  16. Kane, Colleen (April 26, 2016). "White Sox call up catcher Hector Sanchez, place Kevan Smith on DL". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  17. "Injury Report: Kevan Smith back on DL, Jason Heyward dodges a bullet". May 27, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  18. Kane, Colleen. "Kevan Smith rejoins White Sox, whose future catching remains unclear". Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  19. Kane, Colleen. "Rookie Kevan Smith feels 'weight lifted' after 1st 2 major-league hits". Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  20. Todd, Jeff (February 10, 2017). "White Sox Outright Kevan Smith". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  21. Kane, Colleen. "As White Sox leave Arizona, opening-day roster coming into focus". Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  22. "MLBRosterMoves on Twitter". Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  23. Kevan Smith Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
  24. Adams, Steve (October 26, 2018). "Angels Claim Kevan Smith, Designate Joe Hudson". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  25. Rhett Bollinger (December 2, 2019). "Angels non-tender catcher Smith". MLB.com. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  26. "Rays Announce Five Invites to Spring Training". MLB.com. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  27. "Rays' Colin Poche: Will miss 2020 season". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  28. "Rays Communications". Twitter.
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