Track Record: An infielder by trade, Smith impressed with his ability to catch Kyle Funkhouser, Zack Burdi and other triple-digit flamethrowers at Louisville and signed with the Dodgers for $1,772,500 as the 32nd overall pick in 2016. He immediately showed the same impressive catching ability as a pro, guiding Walker Buehler, Yadier Alvarez, Dennis Santana and other high-octane arms through the Dodgers system. Despite missing a month with a deep thumb bone bruise, Smith hit a career-high 20 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018, all while splitting his time between catcher (49 games) and third base (43) so fellow catching prospect Keibert Ruiz could also get reps behind the plate.

Scouting Report: Smith's best asset is his athleticism. He has quick feet, soft hands and an above-average arm he can get to from multiple angles, making him a plus defensive catcher and above-average defender at third base. Smith was a contact hitter in college, but the Dodgers reworked his swing to generate more loft. An adjustment to get ready a tick earlier revealed above-average power in 2018, although his uphill swing yields more swings and misses than expected given his solid bat speed, hands, direction and approach and drains his ability to hit for average.

The Future: The Dodgers brought Smith to Los Angeles at the end of 2018 to observe how big leaguer catchers prepare. His major league debut is on the horizon in 2019.

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