Josh Smith on Rangers Promotion: 'It's Surreal'

The Rangers promoted another piece from the Joey Gallo trade as the highly-touted prospect started at third base against Tampa Bay

The second piece of the Joey Gallo trade made his Major League debut on Monday when infielder Josh Smith started at third base and hit eighth for the Texas Rangers.

Texas, which hosted Tampa Bay to start a seven-game homestand, promoted Smith from Triple A Round Rock. In a related move, Brad Miller was put on the 10-day injured list.

Smith singled in his first MLB at-bat in the bottom of the second inning, with the vast majority of his immediate family in attendance. He finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored. He became the sixth Rangers rookie to debut with three hits. One of those six players happened to be Gallo. 

Courtesy of The Prospect Times

Josh Smith

Zach Bigley / Frisco RoughRiders

Josh Smith

Courtesy of The Prospect Times

Josh Smith

Rangers manager Chris Woodward was impressed with Smith's demeanor throughout the game. 

"It's pretty amazing," Woodward said. "After he gets his first Major League hit, and you just see his reaction. He's a stone cold killer, man. He just touched first base, just not even smiling."

Smith did high-five Woodard after he scored later that inning. 

When the Rangers dealt Gallo to the New York Yankees last July, the Rangers received four prospects in return — Smith, second baseman Ezequiel Duran, infielder/outfielder Trevor Hauver and right-handed pitcher Glenn Otto.

Otto also started for the Rangers on Monday.

Otto, who was the lowest-ranked prospect of the quartet, was the first to make his MLB debut when he pitched against the Houston Astros on Aug. 27, 2021.

Now, it’s Smith, who at the time of the trade was the highest-ranked Yankees prospect at No. 14, who will join the Rangers. He found out on Sunday from Round Rock manager Matt Hagen.

“We got off the bus yesterday and he asked me what I was doing on my off-day (Monday),” Smith told Bally Sports Southwest before the game. “I said, ‘Probably just relaxing, chilling.’ Then he said, ‘You wanna go to Arlington?’”

Smith entered the 2022 season rated by Baseball America as the Rangers’ No. 9 prospect. The LSU product was a second-round pick of the Yankees in 2019, and in his minor-league career he’s batted .302/.420/.491/.911 with 20 home runs and 85 RBI.

“I’m excited,” Smith said. “It’s kind of dream about this your whole life and to be here now, it’s surreal."

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Josh Smith

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Ezequiel Duran

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Glenn Otto

With Smith’s promotion, the other two prospects remain on the farm. Duran, who is with Double A Frisco, is having a tremendous season, hitting .311/.357/.575/.932 with seven home runs and 30 RBI. His 21 doubles is the best in the minors and nearly matches the 22 doubles last season.

Hauver is with Class A Hickory and is hitting .252/.426/.430/.856 with five home runs and 28 RBI.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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