Sean Smith

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #30 prospect in 2004
  Just like Nick Pesco a year after him, Smith received $1.1 million from the Indians as a draft-and-follow. His fastball hit 94 mph at Sac City before he signed, but he hasn't shown as much velocity while working regularly in a pro rotation. Smith's heater now sits at 88-91 mph, but its effective because he mixes it with a 12-6 curveball and a fading changeup. He also throws a slider. Smith is at his best when he keeps his fastball down in the zone. That's tough to do when he lapses into overthrowing. His delivery is solid, but he needs better command. Though Smith isn't as far along as Cleveland expected he would be, he'll still compete for a spot in the high Class A rotation.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #24 prospect in 2003
  One of the more coveted draft-and-follows in 2002, Smith signed for $1.1 million after spending a year at Sac City. After a decent pro debut, he really hit his stride in instructional league. Smith's fastball sat at 89-90 mph last summer and was clocked as high as 94 during the spring. He has a very good feel for his curveball and changeup, and his command of those offspeed pitches is what sets him apart from other pitchers his age. His poise and polish are uncanny for a teenager. The next step in Smith's development will be improving his overall physical strength. His workload will be closely monitored, as is being done with J.D. Martin, another similarly built pitcher with great promise. Smith will compete for a spot in the low Class A rotation during spring training.