Josh Harris Smith…he and wife, Claire, were married on 1/8/21…Claire produces lifestyle-based content on both Instagram (75K+ followers) and TikTok (210K+ followers), with several of her posts featuring her husband… Josh was originally selected by New York-AL in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft and signed by scout Mike Leuzinger…was also selected by Detroit in the 38th round out of high school in 2016, but chose to attend LSU...majored in finance…frequently attended LSU baseball games as a youngster…has an older sister, Brett, and younger sister, Carsyn…enjoys watching movies in his downtime...has made a number of community and caravan appearances for the Rangers during the last two offseasons (2022-23)
2023
Spent the entire campaign with Texas, batting .185/.304/.328/.633 (36-195) with six HR, one 3B, eight 2B, 15 RBIs and one SB over 90 games/54 starts…made starts at third base (17), shortstop (15), left field (12) and designated hitter (six)…finished the season nine-for-his-last-73 (.123) beg. 8/3, dropping BA from .221 to .185…saw action in three postseason contests, all as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement, including appearances as a PR in Game 1 and 4 of the World Series vs. Arizona… did not have a plate appearance during the playoffs…was hit by pitch a team-high nine times, including seven times in April, which ranked T2nd in MLB (8-OAK’s Esteury Ruiz, 7-Smith/LAA’s Zach Neto)…fared far better vs. RHP (.194/.299/.324/.623) than vs. LHP (.120/.333/.360/.693)…scored walk-off run on wild pitch as PR in ninth inn. on 7/17 vs. TB, the club’s first walk-off win on a wild pitch since 3/31/19 vs. CHC (Joey Gallo scored)…exited game on 4/3 vs. BAL after getting hit by a 95.2 mph fastball from Danny Coulombe.
2022
Got his first taste of the Majors in 2022, batting .197 (42- 213) with two home runs and 16 RBI over 73 games spanning a pair of stints with Texas (5/30-8/20, 9/8-end of season)...opened season at Triple-A Round Rock, where he slashed .290/.395/.466/.861 (64-221) with six HR, 45 RBI and nine SB over 55 games...made 60 starts in the big leagues at third base (32), left field (21), shortstop (5), and designated hitter (2)...was on 10-day Injured List from 6/4-20 with a left shoulder sprain...went 3-for-4 (all singles) in MLB debut on 5/30 vs. SEA, tying club record for hits in a debut (6x, last Nomar Mazara on 4/10/16 at LAA)...reached via H/BB/HBP in 11 straight games to begin MLB career (5/30-6/28), tied with Nick Solak (11 G in 2019) for the longest career-opening on-base streak in Rangers history... reached base safely via H/BB/HBP in 20 of first 22 MLB games, slashing .261/.384/.348/.732 (18-69) with nearly as many walks (12) as strikeouts (13) over that span...drew walks in 28 of 253 PA (11.1%), the 4th-highest walk pct. among A.L. rookies with 250+ PA in 2022 (13.8-BAL’s Adley Rutschman, 12.4-KC’s MJ Melendez, and 11.7-KC’s Vinnie Pasquantino)...marked highest BB% by a Texas rookie (min. 250 PA) since Justin Smoak in 2010 (13.8%)...First career HR was inside-the-park HR on 7/11 vs. OAK; 3rd Ranger to hit an ITPHR for First career HR (also Craig Gentry 9/23/11 vs. SEA and Marc Sagmoen 4/17/97 at KC)…Second in MLB to do it since start of 2017 (LAD’s Zach McKinstry 4/3/21 at COL)…2nd ITPHR in Globe Life Field history (also ATL’s Travis Demeritte, 4/29/22)...returned to Triple-A for Major League injury rehab assignment (6/15-20) and on option from Texas (8/21-9/7)...overall, made 55 starts for the Express at 3B (20), SS (16), CF (14), LF (3) and DH (2).
2021
Combined for a .309/.429/.535/.963 slash line with 13 HR, 41 RBI, 20 2B, and 26 SB across 78 G in the NYY and TEX orgs.…was one of 24 minor league players to post a 10 HR/20 2B/25 SB season, along with fellow TEX farmhands Dustin Harris and Bubba Thompson...recorded the 9th-highest on-base pct. and 19th-highest OPS among minor league batters, and was one of 13 players in MiLB to post a .300+/.400+/.500+ triple slash line (min. 300 PA)…opened the campaign with Low-A Tampa (NYY) before receiving promotion on 6/8 to High-A Hudson Valley…acquired by Texas from the Yankees on 7/29 in 6-player trade involving OF Joey Gallo…played exclusively at shortstop after the trade and batted a combined .295 (43-146) in 39 G with Hickory (A+) and Frisco (AA)…promoted to Double-A on 8/11…tabbed as the 6th-best prospect in the Rangers farm system by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America following the trade after opening the year ranked as the no. 24 prospect in the Yankees system according to BA…attended a player development seminar at Globe Life Field in January.
2020
Did not see official game action after Minor League season was canceled due to the pandemic…worked out on his own after he was not invited to New York-AL’s Alternate Training Site at PNC Field in Moosic, Penn…before the start of the season, was rated among the top prospects in the Yankees farm system by both MLB Pipeline (no. 17) and Baseball America (no. 25).
2019
Batted .324 (36-111) with three HR and 15 RBI in 33 G for Short-A Staten Island in his professional debut…posted the 2nd-highest on-base pct. (.450) and OPS (.927) in the league (min. 100 PA)...rated by Baseball America as the 16th-best prospect in the NYPL following the season.
