Jacob Michael Smolinski was originally signed by Nationals scout Steve Arnieri…starred in baseball and football at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford, IL (graduated 2007)…was selected as the Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year and the Louisville Slugger Player of the Year for Illinois as a senior…hit a school record .494 with a slugging percentage of .894 that year…was the only player from Illinois selected to compete in the 2007 National All-American Game…was also the starting quarterback on football team.
2017
Missed nearly the entire season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder during Spring Training…was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list Sept. 1 and hit .259 with a double in 16 games with the A's…went 1-for-5 (.200) over his first nine games, none of which came as a starter…each of his final seven games were starts in center field and he went 6-for-22 (.273) over that stretch…did not commit an error in 11 games overall in the outfield (nine in center field, one in left field, one in right field)…went 0-for-1 as the designated hitter and 1-for-4 as a pinch hitter… did not drive in a run and now has a 35-game streak without an RBI dating back to Sept. 2, 2016… that is the longest such streak by an Athletic since Mitchell Page also had a 35-game streak from April 15-Oct. 1, 1983…had a career-high 46-game homerless streak and has not homered since Aug. 17, 2016…went 5-for-11 (.455) against left-handed pitching, 2-for-16 (.125) against righthanders…now has a .299 (66-for-221) career average against lefties, .207 (72-for-348) against righties…has 11 of his 16 career home runs against lefties for a .507 slugging percentage (.290 against righties)…was 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position…had surgery on March 16 at the Surg Center at Pima Crossing in Scottsdale, Arizona…Dr. Doug Freedberg arthroscopically repaired Smolinski's labrum and performed a bursectomy…began his rehab assignment at SingleA Stockton Aug. 12 and hit .250 with a home run and 10 RBI in seven games…that included a 5-for-5 performance with a home run and five RBI Aug. 13 against Visalia…had four RBI and three walks Aug. 20 at Modesto…was transferred to Triple-A Nashville Aug. 24 and batted .129 with a RBI in six games with the Sounds…combined for a .182 average in 13 rehab outings overall, all at designated hitter…hit .195 (8-for-41) against right-handed pitchers, .143 (2-for-14) against lefthanders…played for Obregon in the Mexican Pacific Winter League in October and hit .184 with two home runs and five RBI in 13 games.
2016
Began the season at Triple-A Nashville but was called up by Oakland on May 20 and spent the remainder of the season with the A's…hit .301 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 36 games before the All-Star Break and started 18 of the A's 47 (38.3%) games following his promotion…then started 59 of the A's 73 (80.8%) games after the break but hit .213 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 63 games…combined for a .238 average, seven home runs and 27 RBI in 99 games overall…hit .276 (29-for-105) with five of his seven home runs against left-handed pitchers compared to .216 (40-for-185) against right-handers…slugged .457 against lefties, .281 against righties…his career splits are .290 (61-for-210) with 11 of his 16 home runs off lefties (.505 slugging percentage), .211 (70-for-332) against righties (.298 slugging percentage)…batted .277 at home, .191 on the road…has a .274 (62-for-226) career average in the Coliseum and .218 (69-for-316) in all other ballparks…clubbed five of his seven home runs with runners on base…four came on the first pitch…had a .161 average with runners in scoring position and two outs after hitting .333 in that situation in 2015…batted .193 against American League West competition, .286 against everyone else…was 4-for-11 (.364) with a home run and three RBI as a pinch hitter…appeared in 49 games (48 starts) in center field, 29 games (18 starts) in right field and 18 games (11 starts) in left field…committed just one error (center field) and it was the first error of his career…batted .296 with four of his seven home runs as a right fielder, .219 at all other positions…started games in every spot in the order except third, fourth and fifth.
2015
Was on the Opening Day roster with Texas and hit .133 with a home run and six RBI in 35 games over three stints with the Rangers before he was claimed off waivers by Oakland June 21…batted .226 with five home runs and 20 RBI in 41 games over two stints with the A's…combined for a .193 batting average in 76 games overall…had 32 hits, 15 of which were for extra bases (seven doubles, two triples, six home runs)…batted .262 (22-for-84) against left-handed pitching compared to .122 (10-for-82) against right-handers…hit four of his six home runs off lefties for a .476 slugging percentage…slugged just .256 against righties…now has a .305 (32-for-105) career batting average against left-handed pitchers compared to .204 (30-for-147) against right-handers…batted .333 with runners in scoring position and two outs…was 7-for-14 (.500) with two home runs and five RBI when putting the first pitch in play… hit .098 with two strikes…made 39 starts in left field and 11 in right field…has not committed an error in 87 career games and 135 chances in the outfield…went 2-for-11 (.182) with a walk as a pinch hitter
2014
Was purchased from Round Rock (AAA) on 7/7 and was with the Rangers the rest of the year around his 8 weeks on the DL...made starts in LF (11), RF (9), and DH(3)...hit .349, the highest average in ML among all players with at least 50 AB...was the best AVG in ML among players with at least 80 AB since TEX's Josh Hamilton (.359) in 2010 and the 2nd best mark in club history (80+ AB) to Hamilton's 2010 AVG...hit .476 (10-21) vs. LHP and .400 (18-45) at home but was just 5-for-22 (.227) with RISP.
2013
Combined to bat .254 (94-370) with career high 9 home runs and 35 RBI over 119 games with Jacksonville (AA) and New Orleans (AAA) in final season in the Miami organization...primarily appeared in both corner outfield spots, but also saw brief action in center...opened season in Jacksonville and was promoted to New Orleans on May 6...was on disabled list 8/1-12 with a fractured finger, included a rehab assignment with GCL Marlins Aug. 10-12.
2012
Topped Jacksonville in runs (71), hits (105), and walks (78)...played in Southern League All-Star Game...endured a pair of trips to the disabled list 4/18-28 with a hamstring strain and 6/2-8 with a concussion.
2011
Ranked among the Jacksonville club leaders in doubles (2nd, 26), walks (3rd, 59), and at bats (T3rd, 396)...moved to the outfield fulltime.
2010
Led Jupiter (High-A) in doubles (27) and RBI (51) and placed 2nd in hits (107) and walks (31) as team's regular 3B...was on the disabled list 7/6-29 with a finger sprain.
2009
Ranked 3rd in doubles (25) and 4th in walks (38) at Greensboro (Low-A) while seeing most of action at 3B...was selected as the Marlins' minor league hitter of the month for June after batting .299 with 3 HR, 12 RBI, and 20 BB.
2008
Combined to bat .271 (79-291) over 77 games with the GCL Nationals (Rookie), Vermont (Short Season A), and Hagerstown (Low-A) while playing primarily at 2B.
2007
Played in 28 games with the GCL Nationals in his 1st professional season.