Justin Smoak

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Justin Kyle Smoak

Bats Both, Throws Left
Height 6' 4", Weight 215 lb.

School University of South Carolina
High School Stratford High School (Goose Creek)

Born December 5, 1986

Minors.BR page

[edit] Biographical Information

Justin Smoak was the 11th player selected in the 2008 amateur draft, taken by the Texas Rangers.

Smoak was a high school teammate of Matt Wieters. He hit .558 as a senior with 18 HR and 49 RBI and was chosen by several sources as a high school All-American, including Baseball America, which named him the top first baseman in US high schools. Due to his strong commitment to college, he was not picked until the 16th round of the 2005 amateur draft, when the Oakland Athletics chose him. He did not sign with them, as expected.

Justin batted .303/.407/.586 as a freshman and set USC freshman records for home runs (17) and RBI (63). He fielded .995 at first base. Baseball America named him as the first-team freshman All-American 1B; he did not win Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year honors as those went to Pedro Alvarez.

Smoak was a star in the Cape Cod League in 2006, playing for the Cotuit Kettleers. He hit .286/.382/.565 and led the circuit with 11 home runs. He was 10th in average, led in slugging, tied for third with 27 RBI, tied for third with 10 doubles, was 5th with 25 runs and led in extra-base hits. He made the Cape Cod All-Star team at 1B and won the MVP award. Baseball America rated him as the top Cape Cod prospect, right ahead of Andrew Brackman and Matt Wieters. Among those he beat out for the All-Star spot at 1B was Matt LaPorta.

Smoak had another fine year in 2007, batting .315/.434/.631 with 22 home runs, 64 runs and 72 RBI in 66 games. He led the SEC in home runs and was one RBI shy of leader Sean Coughlin. Smoak again failed to make SEC first-team as LaPorta won those honors. Smoak tied for 4th in NCAA Division I in circuit clouts. Baseball America named him a third-team All-American.

Smoak played for Team USA that summer. He hit .190/~.227/.238 in the 2007 Pan American Games. With two outs, Alvarez on first and a 3-1 deficit in the 9th inning against the Cuban national team in the Gold Medal game, Smoak flew out against Pedro Luis Lazo, hitting one to CF Giorvis Duvergel to end the game. The US won its third Silver in a row with the loss. Smoak had driven in the Us's only one of the Gold Medal game, singling in Jordan Danks while facing Adiel Palma in the 4th inning. In the 2007 World Port Tournament, he batted .208/~.296/.333, leading the tournament with 3 doubles but doing little else. Smoak hit .223 and slugged .380 for Team USA over the summer, leading the club with 10 doubles and ranking 4th with 19 RBI.

After being taken 11th in the 2008 amateur draft by the Texas Rangers, Smoak did not sign until right before the deadline. He debuted on August 18 with the Clinton LumberKings, going 1 for 3 with a walk, double and run.