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The Cincinnati Reds have announced that Josh Smith will be making his Major League debut on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was called up in early April, but never appeared in a game – but he will get his chance tomorrow night. The scouting report below is recycled from a similar article I posted on Smith when he was called up in April, as nothing has really changed since then.
Scouting Report
Last season as as starter with the Bats, Smith was throwing a fastball, curveball, slider and a change up.
Fastball | As a starter he’s worked in the 89-91 MPH range with good control of the pitch, for the most part. He touches a little higher than that at times.
Curveball | The curveball is his best offering, coming in at 74-78 MPH with 12-6 breaking action and flashes itself as an above-average offering.
Slider | A harder breaking ball, Smith brings this pitch in the 81-84 MPH range and it’s more of an average offering.
Change Up | This is his worst offering of the bunch, coming in at the low 80’s and is a fringy pitch that is a clear 4th pitch.
After years of good control, he struggled there in 2014 as he walked 3.7 batters per 9 innings pitched. Through 74.0 innings this season, the walk rate is at a career best 1.6 walks per 9 innings and the eye test backs up the control. He’s going to throw strikes, as long as his nerves don’t get the best of him – which happens at times for guys in their debut.
Smith was originally drafted back in 2010 by the Reds as a senior out of Lipscomb University in the 21st round. He’s pitched in the minor leagues for six seasons where he’s posted a 3.56 ERA in 716.0 innings and racked up a 50-38 record.
When the right hander makes his debut he will be the Cincinnati Reds fifth rookie pitcher to make a start in 2015 as a starter and the fourth pitcher to make his Major League debut with the club (Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen and Jon Moscot are the others).