HOUSTON -- As Joe Espada aspired to be a big league manager, he dreamed of one day making a future player’s call-up to the Major Leagues a special moment.
“I always said if someone tells me, ‘Joe, you’re going to the big leagues’, who would be the first person you would call,” Espada said in a video posted to the club’s X account. “I’d say my mom, my dad, my family. Because I think you want to share it with someone who has been there for you from day one -- Little League, travel ball, good days, bad days.”
On Tuesday, standing in front of his team as the second-year manager of the Astros, Espada pulled his phone out and made a call to have someone come out to make a special announcement.
As Espada was on the phone, emerging from behind a wall into the Astros’ clubhouse was Stephanie Hocza -- the mother of Astros No. 1 prospect Cam Smith.
While sitting at his locker, immediately, Smith broke down in tears. He knew, at that moment, he had made the Astros Opening Day roster. Moments later, after an embrace with his mother, she confirmed it.
“So Cam, do you know why we’re here?” Hocza, joined by family including his grandmother and stepdad, said in the video posted to the club’s X account. “You made the roster.”
A day after Smith gave credit to his mother for making him the person he is today, it was fitting that she was the one to deliver the news.
“At one point it was just me and her in the house,” Smith said while holding back tears. “She struggled to take me to baseball games and practice. I’m just happy to do it for her.”
The 22-year-old Smith will be the Astros' starting right fielder come Thursday when they open the 2025 season at Daikin Park against the Mets.
“I think I had a great group of guys around me to help me out to get me here today,” Smith said. “I always thought it was a possibility for it to happen. You know we’re here today talking about it now. So, I’m very blessed.”
Following Tuesday’s game against Triple-A Sugar Land, Smith will trade in his Spring Training No. 90 jersey for a brand new No. 11 jersey for Opening Day.
Smith arrived in Houston this offseason as the headliner in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Cubs. Chicago's top Draft pick in 2024 (14th overall), Smith will have appeared in only 32 Minor League games before making his MLB debut. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 58 prospect overall.
“I’m just so blessed for this opportunity,” Smith said. “It’s obviously a dream come true. So many emotions going on right now, I’m pretty much out of breath because I’m so hyped up.”
Only two drafted position players have made an Opening Day roster with less Minor League/Major League experience than Smith: Pete Incaviglia (0 games -- 1986 Rangers) and John Olerud (6 games -- 1990 Blue Jays).
Smith, an alum of MLB's Develops program who played in the 2021 Hank Aaron Invitational, hit .342 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in his first Spring Training with Houston.