Kevin

Smith

Smith was drafted by the Mets and acquired by the Orioles for RHP Miguel Castro in 2020. Smith spent the last two seasons in Triple-A Norfolk but never made an appearance in the major leagues.

He’s now off the 40-man roster. Smith has not made a major league appearance.

It’s a bit surprising that Jones isn’t going to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster, especially given his defensive versatility, but he’ll head to the minors for some additional seasoning to open the 2022 campaign.

Smith, who was acquired from the Mets back in 2020 as part of the Miguel Castro trade, posted a solid 4.59 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 105/59 K/BB ratio across 82 1/3 innings between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk last season. The 24-year-old righty has been added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster and will be protected from next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

Smith, acquired in last year’s Miguel Castro trade with the Mets, has posted a microscopic 1.04 ERA and 37/10 K/BB ratio in 26 innings across five starts and one relief appearance this season with Double-A Bowie. Checking in at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, the 24-year-old doesn’t have dominant stuff, but he has a chance to make it in the back-end of a major league rotation.

Smith was a seventh-round pick out of Georgia and posted a 3.15 ERA over 23 starts and 117 innings with a 130/39 K/BB ratio over the High-A and Double-A levels. The southpaw isn’t overpowering, but he commands a low 90s fastball with movement and also shows a plus slider and useable change. He could join the Baltimore rotation before the end of 2021.

Smith, 22, scattered five hits in the shutout innings, and he struck out six while issuing one free pass. A seventh-round pick out of Georgia in 2018, Smith has been a pleasant surprise in the Mets’ system this year, with a 2.80 ERA over 103 innings and a 1.56 mark since being promoted to Double-A three starts ago. The 6-foot-5 southpaw’s best pitch is a slider that consistently flashes plus, but he also has a low 90s fastball that isn’t straight, and the change is coming along, as well. The command is behind the control, but Smith is generally in the strike zone, and he should locate his arsenal well enough to start. He’s not going to be the next New York ace, but Smith has quality stuff, and he looks like he could be a helper in the Mets’ rotation by the end of next year, with 2021 also a possible ETA.