Dominic Smith on the draft, breaking balls, and more

Dominic Smith, the New York Mets first round pick (11th overall) in the 2013 first-year player draft, possesses a maturity and work ethic well beyond his years. Drafted out of Serra High School just outside of Los Angeles, Smith had a highly regarded bat coming into the draft but also wowed baseball officials with what many refer to as a “good makeup.” In fact, Peter Gammons cited one General Manager as saying that Smith was “the best interview he conducted since Darin Erstad in 1994. Highest praise.”

Indeed, Smith is a very intelligent and thoughtful young man, qualities he displayed during the media blitz that followed his selection by the Mets. Draft day, one can imagine, is a chaotic day, particularly for first-rounders.

“Draft day was a pretty nerve wracking day,” Smith told Mets360. “I had mixed emotions,” he noted, “but my family made it easy for me.”

The attention that is heaped onto high profile draftees before, during, and after the draft is substantial, especially for those teams in big markets. The fact that the draft takes place in the New York area only works to magnify it. Smith, however, was excited to attend the draft and all of the related events in the Big Apple.

“New York is one of the best cities in the whole entire world,” said Smith. “Going to the draft in New York was perfect.”

Leading up to the draft, many gurus rated the young first baseman as the best pure high school hitter in the draft class. To be sure, Smith has a plus bat with plus power potential that could eventually slot in the middle of a championship-caliber lineup. What sets him apart from most other young sluggers, however, is his already highly-rated defense at first base. His plus defense is something in which he takes pride.

“If you want to be a baseball player you have to work on your whole game and become a complete player,” he told Mets360. “I work hard on my defense. I work hard on my offense. I’m trying to become a lot better overall player so that I can help bring that championship, that World Series victory, to the Mets.”

Smith made his professional debut in June with the Mets’ Gulf Coast League (GCL) affiliate and has now competed in just over 40 games. It cannot be understated how difficult it is to make the jump from high school baseball to playing in the pros, and Smith experienced that firsthand with his initial struggles in the GCL. After a slow start in June, he picked it up in July and has been even better in August. In August he’s hit .311/.367/.422 and has shown an overall ability to get on base, very encouraging with such a young player. His improvements have come after making adjustments to the higher quality competition he is now facing.

“The pitchers are smarter, they know how to ‘pitch’,” said Smith of the difference between amateur and professional competition. “They have good breaking balls and good changeups.”

The difference in competition isn’t the only difference that he has been party to since making his professional debut, however. The daily grind of professional baseball was new to him as well.

“You play every day as an amateur,” he said, “but not this intense and not to this level.”

Early wakeup and practice, workouts before the game, then playing a three-hour game make for longer days those outside of the game probably do not understand. It’s a grind that Smith loves, though, and he enjoys going out there every day trying to improve at all aspects of the game. Although he’s done quite well in the GCL to this point, he’s determined to keep improving his hitting. Specifically, he wants to ensure he can mash righties and lefties equally.

These days fans are more aware of an organization’s prospects, especially first-rounders, because of the amount of information available to them. Fans know who their team’s top prospects are long before they make the jump to the majors, and Mets prospect watchers are a particularly large and active bunch. Smith is aware of this somewhat new player/fan dynamic, and he wants to give Mets fans what they want: to win.

“I’m going to be the best baseball player, not only the best baseball player but the best team player to help the Mets win in the future,” he said.

New York fans are, in general, a very demanding and passionate crowd. This fact is not lost on Smith, but he loves playing in front of passionate crowds. The prospect of playing in front of such a crowd in New York is exciting to him.

“They’re great fans, some of the greatest fans in the world,” he said, “and they love to win. Hopefully I can get there and perform at the level they want me to.”

He is a few years away from playing at Citi Field, of course, but he’s determined to work hard to help bring  a winning culture back to the franchise. With a system devoid of higher-level impact bats, Mets fans certainly hope Smith will be a cornerstone player on a future championship Mets team as well. For now, Smith is thankful for the opportunity the Mets have provided him and looks forward to the day he dons the orange and blue in front of a packed Citi crowd.

“I’m glad the Mets selected me and I’m just going to keep working my butt off so one day I can help them win multiple championships,” said Smith. “I’m happy and blessed to be a Met.”