Joshua Dwayne Smith (born October 11, 1989) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

who is a free agent. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

and

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...

. Listed at and , he bats and throws left-handed.

Amateur career

Smith attended Pleasant Hill High School, in

Pleasant Hill, Missouri Pleasant Hill is a city in Cass and Jackson counties, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,777 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Pleasant Hill is home for the National Weather Service Kansas City/Ple ...

. Smith played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

for the Wichita State Shockers baseball team during 2009–2012.

Professional career

Pittsburgh Pirates

The

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

selected Smith in the 25th round of the

2012 MLB draft The 2012 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the first overall pick, selected Carlos Correa from the Puerto Rico Baseball Ac ...

. During his time in the Pirates organization from 2012 through 2016, he played for the rookie-level

Gulf Coast League Pirates The Florida Complex League Pirates are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Pirates. The team plays its hom ...

, Low-A

State College Spikes The State College Spikes are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in State College, Pennsylvania, and play their home games at Medlar Field on the campus of Pennsylvania State University. The team was fo ...

, Single-A

West Virginia Power The Charleston Dirty Birds are an United States, American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a MLB Partner League, partner league ...

, High-A

Bradenton Marauders The Bradenton Marauders are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Bradenton, Florida, and play their home games at LECOM Park, which also serves as the ...

, Double-A

Altoona Curve The Altoona Curve are a Minor League Baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve (but also alluding to the curveball, a type of pitch). The team plays in the Eastern League and is the Double-A affiliate of ...

, and Triple-A

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory ...

Boston Red Sox

On December 8, 2016,

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

selected Smith from the Pirates in the minor league phase of the 2016

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

. In 2017, he played for the Double–A

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...

and the Triple–A

Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...

. Smith spent the 2018 season split between Portland and Pawtucket, making 30 appearances and accumulating a 9–4 record and 3.14 ERA with 103 strikeouts across innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 2, 2018.

Cleveland Indians

Smith signed a minor league contract with the

on December 1, 2018. In 2019, Smith began the season with the

Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, merch ...

, the Indians' Triple-A affiliate. The Indians selected Smith's contract on May 25, 2019. He made his major league debut that evening against the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

, allowing no

earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...

s and striking out three batters in innings. Smith was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

on September 13, 2019, after he appeared in eight games, striking out 12 in innings with a 5.40 ERA.

Miami Marlins

On September 14, 2019, the

claimed Smith off waivers. Smith made six appearances with the Marlins, recording an 8.31 ERA and striking out two batters in innings.

Cincinnati Reds

On October 16, 2019, Smith was claimed off waivers by the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

. On July 24, 2020, Smith was designated for assignment by the Reds organization.

Miami Marlins (second stint)

On July 27, 2020, Smith was claimed off waivers by the

. On August 29, the Marlins designated Smith for assignment.

Leones de Yucatán

On May 3, 2022, Smith signed with the Leones de Yucatán of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He appeared in 23 games, throwing innings with an 8.87 ERA and 20 strikeouts. Smith won the Mexican League Championship with the Leones in 2022. On February 20, 2023, Smith retired from professional baseball.

Caliente de Durango

On October 1, 2024, Smith came out of retirement and signed with the

El Águila de Veracruz El Águila de Veracruz (English: The Eagle of Veracruz) is a professional baseball team that plays in the Mexican League. Based in Veracruz, Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico, they play their home games at the Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila. Histor ...

of the

. However, he was subsequently released prior to the season on January 6, 2025, without making an appearance for the team.

Personal

Smith is often referred to online and in print as Josh D. Smith, to differentiate him from Josh A. Smith, especially since the two players were teammates for the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2018. The two were also teammates for the Miami Marlins in 2020.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Josh 1989 births Living people Altoona Curve players Baseball players from Missouri Bradenton Marauders players Cleveland Indians players Columbus Clippers players Gulf Coast Pirates players Indianapolis Indians players Leones de Yucatán players American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Leones del Escogido players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Major League Baseball pitchers Miami Marlins players Pawtucket Red Sox players People from Cass County, Missouri Portland Sea Dogs players State College Spikes players Tigres de Aragua players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela West Virginia Power players Wichita State Shockers baseball players St. Cloud River Bats players