#44 Riley Smith Season 2024
MLB Draft: 31st round in 2015 (Pittsburgh); 24th round in 2016 (Arizona)
A highly-regarded right-handed pitcher out of San Jacinto North College in Houston, Texas … selected in the 24th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks; signed with Arizona in the summer of 2016 after pitching one season at LSU … also was selected in the 31st round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 MLB Draft … has excellent mound presence and exudes a lot of confidence with a bulldog-type mentality … repeats his delivery exceptionally well, which helps him command both sides of the plate with his 88-93 mph fastball.
2016 Season
Appeared in 12 games (one start), posting a 2-1 record and a 7.66 ERA in 22.1 innings with 11 walks and 11 strikeouts … earned relief win over Florida (May 19), allowing three runs on four hits in three innings … brilliant outing in first career LSU start at Notre Dame in Game 2 of May 11 doubleheader; fired six scoreless innings to earn his first LSU win, limiting the Irish to four hits with no walks and four strikeouts, throwing 65 pitches in the outing … recorded two shutout innings in relief versus Arkansas (May 7), allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
Prior to LSU
Earned NJCAA All-America and All-Region honors during his career at San Jacinto North College … started 15 games at San Jacinto North JC in 2015 and helped lead the Gators to the NJCAA World Series … recorded 14 victories and a 2.50 ERA over two seasons at San Jacinto with 150 strikeouts in 156.1 innings … posted a 7-2 mark in 2014 at San Jacinto with a 2.96 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 79 innings … played two seasons of baseball at Hudson High School in Lufkin, Texas, where he recorded a 19-4 mark and a 1.27 ERA with 172 strikeouts in 139 innings … earned all-state and all-district honors and played in the Texas High School All-Star Game.
Personal
Full name is Riley Wade Smith … parents are Ruston and Katrina Smith, owners of three daycare centers for children … has one younger brother, Reed … on attending LSU – “Who wouldn’t want to play at LSU? I really want to work with (pitching coach) Alan Dunn and compete and win a College World Series … majoring in sport administration at LSU … born January 15, 1995, in Lufkin, Texas.
Smith’s LSU Career Highs
Innings: 6.0 at Notre Dame (5/11/16)
Strikeouts: 4 at Notre Dame (5/11/16)
Hits Allowed: 4 three times
Runs: 7 at Lamar (2/24/16)
Earned Runs: 7 at Lamar (2/24/16)
Walks: 4 vs. Southeastern Louisiana (4/20/16)