Dana Brown isn’t afraid to push his top prospects if he deems them ready to contribute. Jake Bloss, for example, climbed the system quickly before his promotion to the majors last year. The Astros drafted him in 2023. While his time in Houston was brief, Bloss’s ascension provided additional insight into how Brown operates as a general manager, specifically how he handles his farm system.
Cam Smith, for all intents and purposes, was the centerpiece of the Kyle Tucker trade. While Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski aren’t players to forget, Smith is the one who can likely provide the most value from the trade for Houston. The question at the time of the trade was how soon we would see Smith on the active roster, but I don’t think much of anyone outside of Houston’s front office envisioned a scenario where the 22-year-old broke camp on the Opening Day roster. I mean, he only had 20 plate appearances above Single-A and none in Triple-A entering this year. I certainly didn’t expect him to make the active roster when he did.
A strong Spring Training by Smith, for as much as one can glean from those stats, at least demonstrated why the organization is bullish on his potential. With his on-field results combined with his overall approach in camp, Brown and Joe Espada decided to open the season with him as the primary starter in right field, a position he hadn’t played before as a professional. It was a tall ask, especially for a rookie in a new organization, and he only turned 22 in February.
There is room to debate whether the Astros should’ve kept Smith in the minors to open the season, allowing for additional development, especially as a hitter and a right fielder. I was in that camp. But Smith has held his own, even exceeding expectations to some degree, with a 114 wRC+ in 151 plate appearances. The power hasn’t completely developed, yet there has been promise on that front. That aspect of his game will come in due time. The plate discipline has also made some noticeable strides, even if the occasional hiccup occurs.
Statistically, Smith is having a solid rookie season. That matters. For me, though, I think I’m even more impressed by how he has developed as an all-around player. His tremendous athleticism, for example, has helped enable him to play a generally above-average right field.
DRS: +7 runs
OAA: +4 outs
But when watching the games, you can see his instincts improve. His positioning has gotten better. Smith’s overall approach as he adjusts and learns has been encouraging, especially as this club acclimates to this new phase without Alex Bregman and Tucker.
The maturation process for young players is always fascinating to watch. Some succeed immediately out of the gate. Others struggle. There’s also the middle ground, where both successes and struggles are abundant. I think Smith currently falls in that category, but I’m excited to see how he progresses. I doubted if he would produce even average results learning a new position. The early returns, however, have changed my tune thus far.