Cam Smith, the 22-year-old rising star who was part of the trade involving Kyle Tucker and the Chicago Cubs this offseason, has earned a spot on the Houston Astros’ Opening Day roster.
Smith was informed about the decision before the Astros’ exhibition game against their Triple-A team on Tuesday night.
In a video shared by the team, Astros manager Joe Espada spoke to the players in the clubhouse and then brought out Smith’s mother, who told him the news.
“I always thought it was possible,” Smith said, getting emotional after hearing the news. “I had a great group of guys to help me out to get here today. I always thought it was a possibility for it to happen. And we’re here today talking about it now. So I’m very blessed.”
“At one point, it was just me and her (his mother) in the house. She struggled to take me to baseball games and practice. I’m just happy to do it for her.”
Smith’s rise to the major leagues has been rapid. After being drafted 14th overall by the Cubs in July, he played only 32 games in the minors last season. According to MLB.com, that’s the third-fewest games played by a position player before reaching the big leagues since 1965.
Only Pete Incaviglia of the 1986 Texas Rangers (zero games) and John Olerud of the 1990 Toronto Blue Jays (six) made it to the majors faster.
Smith had an outstanding spring, hitting .342 with four home runs, which helped him make the team.
After an impressive minor league debut last summer, where he hit six home runs in six straight Single-A games, the Cubs traded him to Houston for All-Star right fielder Tucker in a major deal.
Now, there’s a good chance Smith will take Tucker’s spot in the outfield on Opening Day, which is Thursday, against the New York Mets. He had previously played third base at Florida State.
Houston Astros players celebrates after a home run“I’ve been here for eight years and we haven’t had the conversations we are having about a lot of our players because we’ve had a team that’s pretty much been built,” said Espada.
“Now we’re trying to move some players around and be creative. As a manager, it’s super exciting to see young players showcasing themselves and putting us in a tough spot to make tough decisions.”
Smith’s shift to the outfield in mid-March hinted at the Astros’ plan to keep him on the roster. In the same trade, the team also got third baseman Isaac Paredes, which helped open up a spot for Smith in right field.
“I’m not setting expectations,” Smith said about his potential move to the outfield. “I’m just playing ball. I’m playing free.”
Smith was drafted after two seasons with the Florida State Seminoles, where he made significant progress between his freshman and sophomore years after playing in the Cape Cod League in 2023. He hit .387 with 16 home runs for Florida State before being drafted.
If Smith starts Thursday against the Mets, he will be the second-youngest Astros position player to make his MLB debut on Opening Day. The youngest was Rusty Staub (19) in 1963, according to ESPN Research.
When asked about handling his early success in the pros, Smith replied, “Slow heartbeat.”
