PT TOMORROW: NL East—Not a smooth path for Smith in NY
Feb 27 2018
When 2017 ended, many felt it was a foregone conclusion that Dominic Smith would be the Mets’ first baseman in 2018 and perhaps well into the future. Smith, the 11th overall pick in 2013, had just finished his first taste of MLB after a solid advance through the minors that featured a .293 average and a .793 OPS over parts of five seasons. He had landed at #68 on the 2017 HQ100 list. If there was one concern, it was a perceived lack of power—he had averaged about 10 homers a season in the minors. There were some bumps during his 2017 audition, notably a .226 xBA and a physique that was reminiscent of a bulked up offensive lineman, but he did have a 116 PX and homered about once in ever 18 at bats.
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