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Pavin Smith

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Pavin Smith
Smith with the Virginia Cavaliers in 2017
Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 26
First baseman / Right fielder
Born: (1996-02-06) February 6, 1996 (age 28)
Jupiter, Florida, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 12, 2020, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.244
Home runs37
Runs batted in152
Teams

Pavin Joe Smith (born February 6, 1996) is an American professional baseball first baseman and right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers. The Diamondbacks selected Smith in the 2017 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2020.

Amateur career

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Pavin participated in the Babe Ruth League's 2008 Cal Ripken Major70 World Series. His two home runs in the World Championship helped his Jupiter, Florida, team defeat Mexico 5–4.[1] Smith attended Palm Beach Gardens Community High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He played for the school's baseball team as a first baseman and pitcher.[2] As a pitcher, he had a 5-0 win-loss record with a 0.66 earned run average and 54 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.[3] The Colorado Rockies selected him in the 32nd round of the 2014 MLB draft, but he did not sign.[4][5]

Smith enrolled at the University of Virginia to play college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers baseball team. He played the 2015 season with an ulnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow, which prevented him from pitching. Smith had the game-winning hit in the second game of the 2015 College World Series against Vanderbilt.[6] Smith underwent Tommy John surgery after Virginia won the College World Series, and returned to play in 2016.[7] He hit eight home runs as a sophomore. After the 2016 season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[8] In 2017, his junior year, Smith batted .342 with 13 home runs and 12 strikeouts.[9]

Professional career

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The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Smith with the seventh overall selection of the 2017 MLB draft.[10] Smith signed with the Diamondbacks, receiving a $5,016,300 signing bonus.[9]

Smith made his professional debut with the Hillsboro Hops of the Low-A Northwest League[11] and spent his whole first season there, posting a .318 batting average with 27 runs batted in (RBIs) over 51 games.[12] He was named a postseason All-Star.[13] Smith spent the 2018 season with the Visalia Rawhide of the High-A California League[14] where he hit .255 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs over 120 games.[15] After the 2018 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[16] Smith spent 2019 with the Jackson Generals of the Double-A Southern League.[17] Over 123 games, he slashed .291/.370/.466 with 12 home runs and 67 RBIs.[18]

On September 10, 2020, the Diamondbacks selected Smith's contract to the 40-man and active rosters.[19] He made his major league debut on September 12 against the Seattle Mariners and notched his first hit off Yoshihisa Hirano.[20] On September 25, Smith hit his first major league home run off A. J. Ramos of the Colorado Rockies.[21]

Smith played in 145 games for the Diamondbacks in 2021, hitting .267/.328/.404 with career-highs in home runs (11) and RBI (49). For the 2022 season, Smith made 75 appearances for Arizona and hit .220/.300/.367 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs.[citation needed] Smith was optioned to the Triple-A Reno Aces to begin the 2023 season.[22] He returned to the Diamondbacks on April 9, 2023[23] after Kyle Lewis was temporarily placed on the injured list.[24] In 69 games for Arizona, he posted a batting line of .188/.317/.325 with seven home runs and 30 RBI.

Smith was again optioned to Triple–A Reno to begin the 2024 season.[25] He hit three home runs against the Houston Astros on September 8.[26]

Personal life

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His father is a sports agent who once had the golfer Corey Pavin as a client. Smith is named after the golfer.[27] As a Christmas present in 2017, Smith paid off his parents' mortgage.[13]

Smith is married to former University of Florida gymnast Amanda Cheney.[28]

References

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  1. ^ "Ripken World Series won on walk-off". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  2. ^ "Pressure meets Gardens baseball duo heading into playoffs". Sun Sentinel. April 19, 2014. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  3. ^ https://www.mlb.com/news/pavin-smith-mops-up-as-pitcher-vs-padres
  4. ^ "County's top prospects drafted, opt for college". The Palm Beach Post. June 7, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  5. ^ Ramspacher, Andrew (October 9, 2014). "Talented Cavalier freshmen face early expectations | Cavalier Insider". Daily Progress. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  6. ^ "When the lights were brightest, Virginia's stars shined at the College World Series | CWS". Omaha World Herald. June 24, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  7. ^ Doughty, Doug (May 24, 2017). "Virginia's Pavin Smith continues to improve as a power hitter on the baseball field | UVa Sports News". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  8. ^ "#24 Pavin Smith - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Arizona Diamondbacks sign first-round pick Pavin Smith". The Arizona Republic. June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  10. ^ Gilbert, Steve (January 20, 2016). "D-backs take Pavin Smith with No. 7 Draft pick". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "Hops' Smith collects first three hits as a pro". Milb.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "Pavin Smith Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Jackson, Josh (December 26, 2017). "D-backs' Smith gives big Christmas surprise". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  14. ^ "Visalia Rawhide 2018 Season Preview". Visaliatimesdelta.com. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  15. ^ "Pavin Smith Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  16. ^ Callis, Jim (November 16, 2018). "Top MVP candidates to collide in AFL championship". Mlb.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  17. ^ McDermott, Michael (April 4, 2019). "2019 Arizona Diamondbacks Farm System Preview". Azsnakepit.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  18. ^ "Pavin Smith emerging as big-league option for Arizona Diamondbacks". Azcentral.com. February 19, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  19. ^ Connor Byrne. "Diamondbacks Designate Jake Lamb". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  20. ^ "France does deep again as Mariners dump D-backs". Reuters. September 13, 2020.
  21. ^ "Rockies get swept in the desert". September 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith: Optioned to Reno". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  23. ^ "Pavin Smith's RBI double | September 4, 2023". MLB.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "Diamondbacks Place Kyle Lewis On IL, Recall Pavin Smith". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  25. ^ "Diamondbacks release Elvis Andrus; Andrew Saalfrank, Pavin Smith optioned to Triple-A Reno". arizonasports.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  26. ^ "Smith stuns Astros with 3 homers, 8 RBIs ... in first 3 at-bats". MLB.com.
  27. ^ Piecoro, Nick. "Diamondbacks prospect Pavin Smith's generous act for parents 'gift that keeps on giving'". The Arizona Republic.
  28. ^ "Amanda Cheney - Gymnastics". Florida Gators. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
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