Devin Paul Smeltzer (born September 7, 1995) 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, ...

in the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

organization. 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

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

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 ...

Amateur career

Smeltzer attended

Bishop Eustace Preparatory School Bishop Eustace Preparatory School is a Catholic Church, Catholic coeducational, private Secondary education in the United States, high school in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. Founded in 1954 by the priests and brothers of the Society of the C ...

Pennsauken Township, New Jersey Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and it is located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which it borders directly on the Delaware River. As of the 2 ...

, and played for the school's baseball team. The

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...

selected him in the 33rd round of the

2014 MLB draft The 2014 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 5 through June 7, 2014, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first two rounds were conducted on June 5, followed by rounds three through ten on June 6, and the last 30 round ...

, but he chose to enroll at

Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is a public university in Lee County, Florida, near Fort Myers. It is part of the State University System of Florida and is its second-youngest member. The university was established on May 3, 1991, and is acc ...

to play

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

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (also FGCU) refer to the fifteen College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Florida Gulf Coast University, located in unincorporated Lee County, Florida near Fort Myers, Fl ...

rather than sign with the Padres. He pitched to a 1–4

win–loss record Win–loss may refer to: * Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action * Win–loss record, also winning percentage * Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...

and a 6.19

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA) for the Eagles. In the summer of 2015, he played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

for the

Hyannis Harbor Hawks The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Harbor Hawks play ...

of the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over 1,000 forme ...

, where he and Ian Hamilton were named the co-

most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...

s of the league's all-star game, and threw a nine-inning no-hitter in which he missed a perfect game by a single walk. After one year with the Eagles, Smeltzer transferred to

San Jacinto College San Jacinto College () is a public community college in the Greater Houston area, with its campuses in Pasadena and Houston, Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the independent school districts (ISD) of Chan ...

, so that he would become eligible in the

2016 MLB draft The 2016 Major League Baseball draft began on June 9, 2016, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2015 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks were distributed for players who ...

. Smeltzer had a 9–3 record and a 1.18 ERA with 128 strikeouts in innings pitched for San Jacinto's baseball team. He committed to transfer to

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

on a baseball scholarship after his sophomore year.

Professional career

Los Angeles Dodgers

The

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

selected Smeltzer in the fifth round of the

. He signed with the Dodgers rather than transferring to Texas Tech, and received a $500,000

signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...

. He played for the Arizona Dodgers of the

Rookie-level Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...

Arizona League The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it fo ...

after signing and went 0–2 with a 7.59 ERA in 10.2 relief innings pitched. He began the 2017 season with the

Great Lakes Loons The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007. Hist ...

of the Single–A

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

. In 2017, he made ten starts for Great Lakes and 15 (plus one relief appearance) for the

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and play their home games at LoanMart Field. The franc ...

of the High–A

California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leagu ...

. He was 7–7 with a 4.17 ERA between the two teams. Smeltzer began the 2018 season with the

Tulsa Drillers The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club. Stadium The Drillers play at ONEOK Field (pronounc ...

of the Double–A

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

Minnesota Twins

On July 31, 2018, the Dodgers traded Smeltzer to the

, along with Logan Forsythe and

Luke Raley Lucas John Raley (born September 19, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. Ama ...

, in exchange for Brian Dozier. He was assigned to the

Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...

of the Double-A Southern League and finished the season there. In 33 games (14 starts) between Tulsa and Chattanooga, he was 5–5 with a 4.52 ERA. He opened the 2019 season with the

Pensacola Blue Wahoos The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League (1964–present), Southern League and the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home ga ...

of the Southern League, going 3–1 with a 0.60 ERA in 30 innings. He was promoted to the

Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Fie ...

of the Triple-A

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

on May 2. The Twins promoted Smeltzer to the major leagues on May 28, 2019. He made his major league debut the same night, allowing three hits and no runs, while striking out seven in six innings. Smeltzer finished the season with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 18.8% of the batters he faced. In 2020, Smeltzer recorded a 2–0 record and 6.75 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. On July 17, 2021, Smeltzer was placed on the 60-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. Smeltzer made one appearance for the Twins in 2021 and was outrighted off of the 40-man roster on November 19, 2021. The Twins promoted Smeltzer back to the major leagues on May 14, 2022. He made 15 appearances for the Twins, including 12 games started, and pitched to a 3.71 ERA in innings. In October, Smeltzer was sent outright to Triple-A and chose to elect free agency on October 11.

Miami Marlins

On January 24, 2023, Smeltzer signed a minor league contract with the

organization. On April 9, Smeltzer’s contract was selected to the active roster. Smeltzer made 5 appearances (1 start) for Miami, posting a 6.75 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 12.0 innings pitched. He was designated for assignment by the Marlins on April 28, following the promotion of Johan Quezada. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in th ...

on May 2. On May 3, Smeltzer was selected back to the Marlins' roster after Quezada 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 ...

. He tossed 3.2 innings that day against the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

, surrendering 3 runs on 3 hits with 2 strikeouts. The following day, he was designated for assignment after

Chi Chi Gonzalez __NOTOC__ Chi may refer to: __NOTOC__ Greek *Chi (letter) (Χ or χ), the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet Chinese * ''Chi'' (length) (尺), a traditional unit of length, about ⅓ meter *Chi (mythology) (螭), a dragon *Chi (surname) ...

had his contract selected. Smeltzer again cleared waivers and was outrighted to Jacksonville on May 6. On August 3, Smeltzer was again added to the major league roster. After two scoreless appearances for Miami, he was designated for assignment on August 5. On August 8, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple–A. On September 1, Smeltzer tossed the first

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

in Jumbo Shrimp history, logging 4 strikeouts in 7.0 innings against the

Charlotte Knights The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field ...

. On September 6, Smeltzer was once more selected back to Miami's major league roster. After tossing relief innings against the

the previous day, Smeltzer was designated for assignment for a fourth time on September 8. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Jacksonville on September 11. Smeltzer elected free agency on October 15. On December 7, 2023, Smeltzer re-signed with the Marlins on a minor league contract. In 24 relief outings for Triple–A Jacksonville, he compiled a 3.69 ERA with 32 strikeouts and one save across innings pitched. On July 10, 2024, Smeltzer was released by the Marlins organization.

Dorados de Chihuahua

On November 19, 2024, Smeltzer signed with the

Dorados de Chihuahua The Dorados de Chihuahua (English: Chihuahua Goldens) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua. Their home ballpark is the Estadio Chihuahua. Established in 1940, the Dorados have played in the ...

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 ...

. In 13 starts for Chihuahua in 2025, Smeltzer posted a 4-4 record and 5.17 ERA with 60 strikeouts across innings pitched.

Detroit Tigers

On July 8, 2025, Smeltzer signed a minor league contract with the

Personal life

At the age of nine, Smeltzer was diagnosed with pelvic

rhabdomyosarcoma Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly aggressive form of cancer that develops from mesenchymal cells that have failed to fully differentiate into myocytes of skeletal muscle. Cells of the neoplasm, tumor are identified as rhabdomyoblasts. The four ...

, a form of cancer. A tumor had grown against his

bladder The bladder () is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys. In placental mammals, urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra during urination. In humans, the bladder is a distens ...

that was connected to his

prostate The prostate is an male accessory gland, accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found in all male mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemica ...

. He was treated with surgery and

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...

at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. The cancer went into full remission in 2012. In 2006 while battling cancer, Smeltzer was invited to

Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Home to Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, the stadium opened April 3, 2004. It is named after Citizens Financi ...

to meet Phillies players

Chase Utley Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978) is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. ...

and

Cole Hamels Colbert Michael Hamels (born December 27, 1983), nicknamed "Hollywood", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2015), Texas Rangers (2015–2018), Chi ...

. In 2018, Utley was on the Dodgers and Smeltzer, was a member of the Dodgers organization. During spring training, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the story to the Dodgers clubhouse and reintroduced the two. After hearing the story, Smeltzer's teammates gave him a round of applause.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smeltzer, Devin 1995 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Arizona League Dodgers players Baseball players from Camden County, New Jersey Bishop Eustace Preparatory School alumni Chattanooga Lookouts players Dorados de Chihuahua players Florida Gulf Coast Eagles baseball players Great Lakes Loons players Hyannis Harbor Hawks players Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players Major League Baseball pitchers Miami Marlins players Minnesota Twins players Pensacola Blue Wahoos players Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Rochester Red Wings players Salt River Rafters players San Jacinto North Gators baseball players Sportspeople from Voorhees Township, New Jersey Toledo Mud Hens players Tulsa Drillers players 21st-century American sportsmen