Photo By Ernest Dove
Kevin Smith
Level: St.Lucie/Binghamton
Age: May 13, 1997 (22)
Stats: 8-7, 3.15 ERA, 23 G, 23 GS, 117.0 IP, 1.256 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9, 10.0 K/9
Despite not being ranked among the top of the pitching prospects in the Mets farm system, Kevin Smith turned in the top performance by any starting pitcher the system had to offer. While pitching his way to Double-A Binghamton, the lefty went from relatively unknown to arguably one of the team’s top pitching prospects. His out of nowhere season was capped off by being named the Mets Sterling Award Winner as Pitcher of the Year.
When the Mets drafted Smith out of the University of Georgia in the seventh round of the 2018 draft most analysts and scouts felt that he would best be suited to a roll in the bullpen, as that was where he had spent a majority of his time in college. After an impressive stint in Brooklyn, the Mets not only were willing to give him a shot as a starter, but they would have him skip Columbia all together to become the Opening Day starter for High-A St. Lucie.
After a slow start to the season, Smith had an impressive 14 straight start stretch. Over those 14 starts, he was 5-3 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.156 WHIP, and a 4.7 K/BB. Over that stretch, he would strike out more than a batter per inning with 89 strikeouts over 72.2 innings. This stretch is a large reason why he was promoted to Double-A Binghamton in the middle of July.
Smith would continue his strong pitching in Binghamton. Over his first five starts, he would post a 1.98 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched while limiting batters to a .187/.283/.242 batting line. With this stretch, Smith further established himself as a candidate for the rotation going forward and not just a bullpen option.
Smith was able to have this level of success because he is a crafty lefty who pitches from a low 3/4’s arms slot with long extension. When you combine his deceptive delivery with high spin rates on his pitches, you have a pitcher who is difficult to hit. In fact, Baseball Savant says of Smith, “Smith’s extension along with his long arm action on the backside makes him difficult to time, let alone square up, and he’s had no problems carving up hitters on both sides of the plate early in his career.”
Right now, Smith has an effective low 90s fastball and a late moving slider which he has used to generate swings and misses as well as soft contact. With a developing change-up, he has shown he can stick in the rotation. More than that, he has been rapidly ascending through the Mets farm system, and he is giving himself a chance to make his Major League debut sometime in 2020.
His being in a position to potentially make his debut later this year speaks to just how good of a season Smith had. More than that, it speaks to the type of stuff he has and the strides he made during the 2019 season. Ultimately, between his stats and his future, this makes Smith an easy choice for the Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Honorable Mentions
Corey Oswalt: Oswalt had a a 2.91 ERA in Triple-A, and he showed the ability to thrive on regular rest and stability in his role in the rotation.
Jose Butto: The 21-year old led the Columbia Fireflies in most pitching categories, and he had an impressive 109 strikeouts and 31 walks in 112.0 innings.
Harol Gonzalez: He had a 3.01 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 137 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
