Aidan

Smith

Smith is an intriguing name to watch in the AFL. He was the headliner in last year’s trade that sent Randy Arozarena to Seattle, but he struggled in a move to High-A this season, hitting .237/.331/.388 with a 31 percent strikeout rate. Still, he stole 41 bases for the second straight year and made an adjustment this summer to add a two-strike approach to cut down on his strikeouts. That led to him hitting .309/.397/.527 in his final 14 games this year with a 25 percent strikeout rate, so if he can carry that over into AFL action, he could be in for a big season in 2026.

Smith heads to Tampa Bay after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft and posting a .284/.402/.470 triple-slash line with nine homers and 28 steals across 77 games this season for Low-A Modesto. The 20-year-old outfielder has flashed five-tool impact potential, but it’s going to be awhile before we figure out if he’ll put everything together at the highest level. He’s a worthwhile lottery ticket for Tampa Bay as they attempt to rebuild on the fly.

That definitely solves one issue with Seattle’s lineup. Arozarena will presumably play left field in Seattle, resulting in more time at first base and DH for Luke Raley. It’s not great for his fantasy value, as he’s going from a poor park from hitters to perhaps the worst in the game, but neither does it figure to be a disaster. Smith, the Mariners’ fourth-round pick last year, has upped his stock by hitting .284/.402/.470 as a 18-year-old in high-A ball this season. He’s a couple of years away, but he has a chance to become a quality outfielder. We assume the PTBN will also be a significant prospect. The Rays could call up Kameron Misner to help out in the outfield against righties with Arozarena gone.