Cubs First Round Pick Making a Statement to Begin His Pro Career

While the Cubs remain playoff longshots in the season’s final month, even more positive news is coming from the farm system. 

2024 first-round pick Cam Smith has played at three different levels in just 29 games. Smith, a standout from Florida State, put together an incredible spring, earning him a slam dunk round-one selection. He slashed .387/.488/.654 in his final collegiate season, possessing a 1.142 OPS in the process. The third baseman’s average rose nearly 130 points from his 2023 campaign, and his OPS jumped up around 300 points from his sophomore year. 

Smith began his time in the Cubs system with Low-A Myrtle Beach. It took him just 15 games with the Pelicans before a call-up to High-A was in order. Smith had a similar slash line in Low-A to his 2024 spring. The slugger delivered a .313 average in his first pro stop and had an OPS of 1.175. Smith homered six times, all coming in consecutive games while he drove in 12 runs in 48 at-bats. 

The Lake Worth, FL native did not skip a beat upon his arrival in South Bend. Smith needed 12 games at the High-A level to prove he was well above the competition. He slashed .333/.404/.771 and added another home run to his total on the season. He chipped in three doubles and a triple to his South Bend numbers before getting moved up to his third Minor League club in a handful of games. 

Smith has only played three games with AA Tennessee but is extremely impactful to the Smokies offense. He has three hits in 11 at-bats, with two triples. Smith is averaging an RBI per game and looks unfazed against AA pitching in a small sample size. 

Joining Matt Shaw and James Triantos at the top of Chicago’s infielder farm system rankings, Smith has a bright future ahead of him. It remains to be seen whether Shaw or Smith will ultimately claim the third base position, but that can be a problem for another day. Possessing this strong crop of infield prospects gives the Cubs plenty of optimism for the future of the club.

One thing the big league team lacks right now is consistency in the middle of the order. Smith would most certainly change that when the time is right, as would Shaw. 

Smith is just 21 years old, but at this rate, he could be in the show as early as next season. Even if it takes him a full year to remain on the farm (which is completely acceptable), there is no doubt he would be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster in 2026. 

It’s early, but it looks like the Cubs nailed their first-round pick in this past summer’s draft. We can only hope the rest of the class can continue to rise like him. 

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