Chad Smith (baseball, born 1995)
Rodney Chad Smith (born June 8, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies. Career
Smith graduated from McAdory High School in McCalla, Alabama. He enrolled at Wallace State Community College, where he played college baseball for two years. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the 23rd round of the 2015 MLB draft. He did not sign with Cleveland, and transferred to the University of Mississippi, where he played college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels. Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins selected Smith in the 11th round, 323rd overall, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, and signed with the Marlins. He spent his first professional season with the rookie-level Gulf Coast Marlins and Low-A Batavia Muckdogs. Smith spent the 2017 season with the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, logging a 3-2 record and 2.93 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 7 saves in 34 appearances. In 2018, he pitched in 30 games for the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads, registering a 5-3 record and 3.57 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 35.1 innings of work. He additionally led the organization in saves (tied with Jumbo Díaz, with 12. Smith split the 2019 season between Jupiter and the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, pitching to a cumulative 3-2 record and 4.54 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 6 saves in 41.2 innings of work across 34 games. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Colorado Rockies
On August 13, 2020, the Marlins traded Smith to the Colorado Rockies for Jesús Tinoco. Smith spent the 2021 season with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, posting a 2.97 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched. He was assigned to Albuquerque to begin the 2022 season. On May 28, 2022, Smith was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his major league debut on May 29. He made 15 appearances for Colorado in his rookie campaign, logging a 7.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched. Oakland Athletics
On December 6, 2022, the Rockies traded Smith to the Oakland Athletics for minor-league pitcher Jeff Criswell. Smith was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2023 season. The Athletics promoted him to the major leagues and he earned his first major league win on April 12. In 9 games for Oakland, Smith recorded a 6.75 ERA with 9 strikeouts in 12.0 innings of work. On July 4, he was designated for assignment after Manny Piña was activated from the injured list. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Las Vegas on July 6. On July 22, Smith was selected back to the major league roster. Personal life
His grandfather, Norm Zauchin, played in MLB in the 1950s. References

External links

1995 births
Living people
Albuquerque Isotopes players
Baseball players from Alabama
Batavia Muckdogs players
Colorado Rockies players
Greensboro Grasshoppers players
Gulf Coast Marlins players
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Las Vegas Aviators players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Oakland Athletics players
Ole Miss Rebels baseball players
People from McCalla, Alabama
Salt River Rafters players
Wallace State Lions baseball players