The moment finally arrived for Cam Smith. In the eighth inning of a 14-3 blowout win over the Angels on Friday, the Astros’ top prospect made good on the hype, belting his first career home run — a 370-foot shot that just cleared the Crawford Boxes in left field.
“I thought it was pretty high, so I couldn’t really pimp it,” Smith said with a grin. “I knew it had a good chance. I clipped it pretty good.”
The blast came off a 1-1 changeup that caught the inner third of the plate, a pitch Smith didn’t miss. It marked not just a milestone moment, but a sign of growing comfort at the big-league level for the 20-year-old, who made Houston’s roster this spring despite playing just 31 minor league games.
Smith’s start to the season was rocky — he struck out nine times in his first 18 at-bats and looked overmatched at times. But after a two-game break earlier in the week to work on his timing and approach, the young third baseman has flipped the script.
Cam Smith goes deep in the Astros blowout win over the Angels
Since returning to the lineup, Smith is 6-for-11 and now carries a slash line of .241/.333/.414 through his first 29 plate appearances. He drove in his first run with a triple on Tuesday and followed it up with a pair of hits Friday, including that long-awaited first homer.
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Astros manager Joe Espada said the time off helped Smith make critical mechanical adjustments — tweaking his stance, shifting his positioning in the batter’s box, and focusing on getting his swing started earlier in counts.
“Being on time isn’t good enough for me, so I need to get ready a little bit early,” Smith said. “I think that’s helped.”
Espada emphasized the importance of patience with Smith’s development, especially in a lineup filled with veterans and high expectations.
“It’s a tough league,” Espada said. “I need to remind myself that being a young player on this team, we’ve got to walk the walk with him. Pick our spots, give him a day off here and there, and be transparent. It’s going to take some time.”
Before his home run, Smith showcased what the coaching staff has been preaching — jump on fastballs early and drive the ball to center or pull side. He jumped a first-pitch sinker from rookie reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks and shot it up the middle for a single, celebrating enthusiastically at second base.
“That’s part of the emotions I showed,” Smith said. “I know what they’ve been asking for and I finally delivered. I had to let that roar out.” Two innings later, Smith let his bat do the talking again. And with one swing, he showed just how high his ceiling might be.
