Matt Smoral, a lefthanded pitcher at Solon (Ohio) High, will have surgery on the fourth metatarsal of his right foot on Friday, April 6, his father confirmed in an e-mail to Baseball America. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Brian Donley of the Cleveland Clinic. Donley said the expected recovery time is 12 to 14 weeks and while he couldn't guarantee anything, he expects a full recovery with no limitations for Smoral afterward.

Smoral, a North Carolina signee, has an imposing presence on the mound. He stands at 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds. His fastball sits in the 89-92 mph range and tops out at 94. He also throws a slider in the 81-84 mph range and a changeup with similar velocity. His low arm slot causes him to sometimes get around his slider, but when he stays on top of it, it's a tight pitch with late break. Like many big pitchers, Smoral is still growing into his frame and learning how to control his delivery. He currently lands a little open and a little stiff, sometimes stumbling off the mound in his follow through. This causes his control to come and go, but when he's on, his stuff is dominating. Smoral has the athleticism to smooth things out. He made a recent start at a tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and struggled before exiting the game in the fourth inning with blisters.