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Name: Kevin Smith
Born: Dunwoody, Georgia
Age: 21 (5/13/1997)
Height/Weight: 6’5”/230 lbs.
Position: LHP
Bats/Throws: R/L
School: University of Georgia
Kevin Smith attended Dunwoody High School, where he was named Team MVP, DeKalb County Pitcher of the Year, and 1st-Team All-DeKalb County honors as a senior. He posted a 1.60 ERA in 48 innings that year, striking out 74 batters. He went undrafted out of high school and went to college at the University of Georgia. In his first season there, he posted a 3.91 ERA in 46.0 innings split between the starting rotation and the bullpen, allowing 43 hits, walking 21, and striking out 40. In his sophomore season, Smith posted a 4.87 ERA in 61.0 innings, allowing 67 hits, walking 31, and striking out 67. This past season, Smith posted a 3.69 ERA in 63.1 innings, allowing 55 hits, walking 25, and striking out 79. In his final appearance of the regular season, Smith struck out a career-high 11 batters in a 3-2 series-clinching win over sixth-ranked University of Arkansas Razorbacks and was named SEC Pitcher of the Week. In addition to his time at the University of Georgia, he played in the Cape Cod Collegiate League in 2016 and 2017, playing for the Orleans Firebirds both years. In 46.2 innings split between both years, Smith has a cumulative 2.70 ERA there, having allowed 35 hits, walked 13, and struck out 50.
The 6’5”, 230-pound southpaw throws from a low three-quarters, almost sidearm arm slot, throwing from the extreme third-base side of the rubber. He is athletic and is able to repeat his delivery well. Because of his arm slot and pitches, left-handers have a hard time batting against Smith.
His fastball sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s, maxing out around 94 MPH. His best pitch is his slider, which scouts and evaluators have labeled average-to-above-average. The pitch sits in the high-70s-to-low-80s with sweepy break that can be located on both sides of the plate. His changeup, which is also considered an average-to-above-average pitch, sits in the mid-70s-to-low-80s and features plenty of tumble.