Cam Smith is quietly turning into the player the Astros hoped he would be last year

Cam Smith entered spring training not guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day Roster. Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown acknowledged his talent, but admitted there was significant work to be done in order for him to break camp with the big league club once the 2026 season began.

“I would think he comes back and tries to play with more consistency and makes the necessary adjustments, but we have to be open to sending him back to Triple A if he hasn’t turned the corner,” Brown said last October.

The 23-year-old did just enough this spring to earn a job. He wasn't nearly as blistering hot as he was during the 2025 edition of the warmup period, but he showed enough growth potential in the patience and power departments to warrant inclusion, even if his elevated strikeout rate was still a concern.

So far in the early going of 2026, that optimism seems warranted. Smith has hit .297/.422/.595 with three homers through 11 games. He went yard just nine times over 134 games a year ago.

The power isn't the only encouraging sign. Smith has shaved his strikeout rate down from 27.8% in 2025 to 24.4% in 2026 while nearly doubling his walk rate from 8.7% to 15.6%. He'll need to keep this up, but so far, he's becoming the player Houston imagined they'd be getting when they traded for him.

Cam Smith would be getting more buzz if it weren't for his veteran Astros teammates

In addition to the bat, Smith has shown some remarkable defensive prowess in right field that could have him on a Gold Glove track. It's remarkable how quickly he's translated his athleticism to excellence in the field after transitioning from third base to the outfield just over a year ago.

Another part of Smith's game that is beginning to bear fruit is his ability to steal a base. Last year, he attempted a steal just nine times, coming up successful in eight of those tries. This year, he's already three-for-three in thievery attempts. The Florida State product posted 95th percentile sprint speed last season, coming in at 29.3 feet per second. Now he's learning the nuance of baserunning and translating the raw tool into success.

The jewel of the Kyle Tucker trade is emerging as a five-tool player and could be on a superstar trajectory. So why isn't he getting more buzz? It's understandable to want to wait for a larger sample, but in today's world of knee-jerk reactions, you'd expect to see Smith's potential breakout being discussed everywhere.

Instead, Smith has been overshadowed by his veteran teammates, which is pretty understandable. While some may have forgotten how good Yordan Alvarez is after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, the Astros' slugger has roared back with a 253 wRC+ (currently third in the MLB), which would be even higher if he hadn't been robbed of a homer by the Daikin Park earlier in the year.

Jose Altuve is nipping at Alvarez's heels, coming in fourth with a 237 wRC+. The 36-year-old has put the strikeout concerns of the spring behind him and is having a turn-back-the-clock power performance with a .649 SLG so far.

Next, there's the resurrection of Christian Walker. Written off by the entire baseball world as a sunk cost, the former Arizona Diamondback has adjusted his swing, gotten in better shape, and is annihilating baseballs. His 187 wRC+ is currently 15th in baseball.

By wRC+, Smith has outperformed Walker by a hair, coming in at No. 13 on the leaderboard with a 191 mark. Normally, that'd be the biggest story, but given the consternation surrounding last year's big-ticket signing, it's understandable that this has gone by the wayside.

These guys won't continue to put up numbers this astronomical all season long, but if they can prove these starts are for real, you'll see the veteran stars playing up to the back of their baseball cards, and Smith ascending to the ranks of the elite alongside them. If that happens, maybe we've thrown dirt on Houston's grave prematurely.