March 25, 2025
Smith will be included on the Astros' Opening Day roster and is expected to start in right field Thursday against the Mets,
Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSISThe 22-year-old top prospect still needs to be officially added to the 26-man and 40-man rosters, but that's just a formality at this point. After being acquired from the Cubs in the
Kyle Tucker trade in December, Smith began taking reps in right field during spring training, and he hit the cover off the ball in Grapefruit League action with four homers and a .342/.419/.711 slash line in 43 plate appearances. The 2024 first-round pick has just 32 minor-league games under his belt, but it appears he'll occupy a prime spot in the lineup for his first taste of the big leagues, as he's batting fifth in Tuesday's exhibition versus Triple-A Sugar Land.