Dylan Smith

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #21 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: An 18th-round pick of the Padres out of high school, Smith didn’t sign and was ineffective and barely pitched at Alabama in his first two years, but he became a star for the Crimson Tide as a junior, even if his 2-8, 3.84 record didn’t always make that clear. Alabama scored two or fewer runs in half of his 16 starts. After missing a month in 2022, Smith missed a further three months in 2023 with a right forearm strain. He was sent to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost innings, but he posted a 7.29 ERA in six starts.
  
  Scouting Report: As was true in his college career, Smith remains alluring to scouts, even if he’s not been healthy long enough to get on a roll in pro ball. When he’s feeling good and is stretched out, he can attack hitters with an average 93-95 mph fastball, a plus slider with solid tilt and a fringe-average changeup. He doesn’t throw his below-average curve very often anymore. Smith has a high-energy, athletic delivery and he’s shown the ability to dot the corners of the zone when he’s not knocking off rust from another injured list stint.
  
  The Future: If Smith can string together a full season when his arm is healthy, he could rocket up these rankings. He spots his fastball, can spin a breaking ball and gets swings and misses.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #17 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: A Padres 18th-round pick out of high school, Smith raised his draft stock by going to Alabama, where he gained strength and earned a spot in the weekend rotation. After being picked in the third round in 2021, Smith made his pro debut in 2022, pitching effectively at High-A West Michigan. His nickname growing up was the Real Deal, a nickname his West Michigan manager Brayan Pena says he won't use until Smith reaches the majors.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith arrived at Alabama weighing 160 pounds. He's worked at gaining weight and strength and now is considerably heavier than his listed 180 pounds. That and better use of his lower half has paid off in improved velocity to go with above-average control. He can touch 97 mph now and sits 92-94 with his average fastball. It doesn't have exceptional movement, but he has plus control of it. Smith's mid-to-high 80's slider with split tilt and is a potential plus pitch. Smith's changeup is still a work in progress, although with more use, it projects as a future average pitch. His slurvy upper-70's curve is a fringe-average pitch as well.
  
  The Future: Smith has steadily improved, but with a quick arm and a solid frame he could continue to add to his stuff. He projects as a useful back-end starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #14 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Smith emerged as Alabama’s ace during his junior spring and the Tigers made him their third-round selection in the 2021 draft and signed him to an above-slot bonus of $1.12 million. Smith, who was initially drafted by the Padres in 2018 out of high school, steadily added muscle to his projectable frame and watched his fastball velocity tick up throughout college.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith reportedly added 30 pounds of good weight in college and his fastball now touches 95 mph while sitting comfortably in the 92-93 mph range. He shows hitters a four-pitch mix, but scouts believe his slider is his strongest secondary offering. It’s a mid-to-upper 80s pitch with slurvy shape that Smith uses as a putaway pitch. Scouts see his work-in-progress changeup developing into a fringe-average pitch, and his low-80s curveball has shown good depth, working in tandem with his four-seam to keep hitters off balance. Smith was a reliever his first two years at Alabama before moving to the starting rotation following an improvement in command of his arsenal entering the 2021 spring.
  
  The Future: Set to make his pro debut in 2022, Smith needs to prove to scouts those command gains can hold in the pro ranks. If he does, he’ll remain on a starter’s track.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #55 prospect in 2021 draft
  Smith pitched mainly out of the bullpen for Alabama during his first two years at the program, when he pitched with an ERA above 5.00 with just average strikeout and walk rates. He chose a good year to have a breakout season this spring and stepped into the team’s ace role, posting a 3.84 ERA over 16 starts and 98.1 innings of work, while striking out 113 (10.3 K/9) batters and walking 14 (1.8 BB/9)—both easily career-best marks. Smith is a lean, athletic righthander listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with room to fill out, athleticism and impressive hand speed. Scouts have credited his improved strike throwing this spring to better consistency and tempo in his delivery, and he’s also shown a solid four-pitch mix. Smith’s fastball sits in the 91-93 mph range but has been up to 96 and he also throws a curveball, slider and changeup. The slider has been his best swing-and-miss offering this spring, but all three secondaries have collected a good number of whiffs. He throws the slider in the low-to-mid 80s and regularly down and away to his glove side. The pitch features solid tilt but breaks early out of his hand. His curveball is a few ticks slower with more downer shape but has solid power and occasionally blends into his slider. His changeup has solid fading action in the mid-to-upper 80s but is his least-used pitch. He has been a bit homer prone this spring (14 in 16 starts) but Smith’s improved strike throwing and the projection left on his frame have teams excited about him in the second round.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: A Padres 18th-round pick out of high school, Smith raised his draft stock by going to Alabama, where he gained strength and earned a spot in the weekend rotation. After being picked in the third round in 2021, Smith made his pro debut in 2022, pitching effectively at High-A West Michigan. His nickname growing up was the Real Deal, a nickname his West Michigan manager Brayan Pena says he won't use until Smith reaches the majors.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith arrived at Alabama weighing 160 pounds. He's worked at gaining weight and strength and now is considerably heavier than his listed 180 pounds. That and better use of his lower half has paid off in improved velocity to go with above-average control. He can touch 97 mph now and sits 92-94 with his average fastball. It doesn't have exceptional movement, but he has plus control of it. Smith's mid-to-high 80's slider with split tilt and is a potential plus pitch. Smith's changeup is still a work in progress, although with more use, it projects as a future average pitch. His slurvy upper-70's curve is a fringe-average pitch as well.
  
  The Future: Smith has steadily improved, but with a quick arm and a solid frame he could continue to add to his stuff. He projects as a useful back-end starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: A Padres 18th-round pick out of high school, Smith raised his draft stock by going to Alabama, where he gained strength and earned a spot in the weekend rotation. After being picked in the third round in 2021, Smith made his pro debut in 2022, pitching effectively at High-A West Michigan. His nickname growing up was the Real Deal, a nickname his West Michigan manager Brayan Pena says he won't use until Smith reaches the majors.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith arrived at Alabama weighing 160 pounds. He's worked at gaining weight and strength and now is considerably heavier than his listed 180 pounds. That and better use of his lower half has paid off in improved velocity to go with above-average control. He can touch 97 mph now and sits 92-94 with his average fastball. It doesn't have exceptional movement, but he has plus control of it. Smith's mid-to-high 80's slider with split tilt and is a potential plus pitch. Smith's changeup is still a work in progress, although with more use, it projects as a future average pitch. His slurvy upper-70's curve is a fringe-average pitch as well.
  
  The Future: Smith has steadily improved, but with a quick arm and a solid frame he could continue to add to his stuff. He projects as a useful back-end starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Smith emerged as Alabama&#39s ace during his junior spring and the Tigers made him their third-round selection in the 2021 draft and signed him to an above-slot bonus of $1.12 million. Smith, who was initially drafted by the Padres in 2018 out of high school, steadily added muscle to his projectable frame and watched his fastball velocity tick up throughout college.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith reportedly added 30 pounds of good weight in college and his fastball now touches 95 mph while sitting comfortably in the 92-93 mph range. He shows hitters a four-pitch mix, but scouts believe his slider is his strongest secondary offering. It&#39s a mid-to-upper 80s pitch with slurvy shape that Smith uses as a putaway pitch. Scouts see his work-in-progress changeup developing into a fringe-average pitch, and his low-80s curveball has shown good depth, working in tandem with his four-seam to keep hitters off balance. Smith was a reliever his first two years at Alabama before moving to the starting rotation following an improvement in command of his arsenal entering the 2021 spring.
  
  The Future: Set to make his pro debut in 2022, Smith needs to prove to scouts those command gains can hold in the pro ranks. If he does, he&#39ll remain on a starter&#39s track.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Smith emerged as Alabama’s ace during his junior spring and the Tigers made him their third-round selection in the 2021 draft and signed him to an above-slot bonus of $1.12 million. Smith, who was initially drafted by the Padres in 2018 out of high school, steadily added muscle to his projectable frame and watched his fastball velocity tick up throughout college.
  
  Scouting Report: Smith reportedly added 30 pounds of good weight in college and his fastball now touches 95 mph while sitting comfortably in the 92-93 mph range. He shows hitters a four-pitch mix, but scouts believe his slider is his strongest secondary offering. It’s a mid-to-upper 80s pitch with slurvy shape that Smith uses as a putaway pitch. Scouts see his work-in-progress changeup developing into a fringe-average pitch, and his low-80s curveball has shown good depth, working in tandem with his four-seam to keep hitters off balance. Smith was a reliever his first two years at Alabama before moving to the starting rotation following an improvement in command of his arsenal entering the 2021 spring.
  
  The Future: Set to make his pro debut in 2022, Smith needs to prove to scouts those command gains can hold in the pro ranks. If he does, he’ll remain on a starter’s track.