07/21/2025 7:32 PM Article By: Rogues Media
Two-way star dazzled in all facets of the game, succeeded in classroom and community across remarkable college career
Smith's selection puts an exclamation point on a storied San Diego career that was unlike any other in recent memory. A native of nearby El Cajon, California and a graduate of Granite Hills High School, he transferred to USD from UC San Diego as a sophomore in 2023 and immediately became a mainstay for the Toreros on the mound, in the outfield, and at the plate. Smith played for the Medford Rogues in 2021. Click here for Pointstreak Scoring app. His brother Trevor Smith is currently playing for the Rogues in 2025. Click here for Pointstreak Scoring app.
Smith hit .305 (236-for-774) across 213 college games and four NCAA seasons (three at USD) with 146 runs scored, 45 doubles, 20 home runs, 160 RBIs, 102 walks, 13 stolen bases, and one triple.
He was nearly just as dominant as a left-handed pitcher, posting a 16-9 record, eight saves, and a 4.12 ERA in 53 college appearances and 28 starts while striking out 168 batters and walking only 73. Smith's final outing as a Torero saw him earn the win after pitching the final seven frames of San Diego's 14-inning thriller in the WCC Tournament Championship, allowing just three runs on four hits as he used 99 pitches to put his team in position to earn a walk-off victory.
Smith batted a career-high .353 (77-for-218) as a senior in 2025 with 46 runs scored, 18 doubles, his lone college triple, six home runs, 48 RBIs, 16 walks, 10 hit by pitches, and six stolen bases. His go-ahead 14th-inning home run at No. 14 UCLA on April 6 helped the Toreros stop a 6-24 skid to begin the season and sparked a 10-game win streak. He put together a 26-game hit streak from March 1 to April 16 that included 14 multi-hit performances and ultimately fell just five games shy of the longest streak in program history.
His USD career included 98 starts as a designated hitter, 27 starts in center field, 30 starts in left field, and three games in right field in addition to his 28 career starts on the mound. He finished his college career with a .987 fielding percentage that saw him commit just three errors in 232 chances.
Smith earned All-WCC First Team selections in 2024 and 2025 after helping the Toreros hoist a trio of West Coast Conference trophies, including the 2024 WCC Regular-Season and Tournament titles and the 2025 WCC Regular-Season crown.
His other career accolades include being named a 2024 All-American by both the ABCA and the NCBWA, a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Finalist (2024) and Semifinalist (2025), a 2024 Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist, 2024 WCC All-Tournament Team honors, and local recognition as a 2024 San Diego Sports Association Amateur Star of the Year.
Smith's legacy in San Diego also extends to the classroom and the community. He earned WCC All-Academic Honorable Mentions in 2024 and 2025 and was named one of nine national semifinalists for the inaugural Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy in 2025.
He is the 139th Torero to be drafted by an MLB team and is the program's fourth player to be selected by Toronto, joining Ian Churchill (2022, pick No. 308), current major leaguer Riley Adams (2017, pick No. 99), and Bill Pinkman (1981, pick No. 31).
Smith is the 156th player in USD history to either have his name called in the MLB Draft or sign with a Major League team, a span that dates back to 1964.
