Cam Smith's new low forces Astros into reality check they must pull the trigger on

The Houston Astros have a real Cam Smith conundrum on their hands. The youngster has had some positive developments under the hood, but there are still clear areas of opportunity. That's why the brutal slump Smith's currently mired in is so concerning that the club should be considering taking drastic action.

On paper, the 23-year-old has all the physical tools you'd expect to see in a superstar. Smith's 77.4 miles per hour average bat speed is a 98th percentile mark, showcasing his strength. His 29.1 feet per second average sprint speed ranks in the 94th percentile, and highlights his athleticism.

But there's something blocking the translation of physical ability to real-world production. Smith is slashing just .197/.293/.312 with four homers through 49 games this season. Houston thinks they know where the disconnect is, and it's all in Smith's head.

Jose Altuve noted it, telling hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, "This kid is struggling mentally."

Smith concurred, saying, “I’m obviously not producing, so I’m starting to think more, trying to do more. [I'm] just getting away from who I am. I think that’s the main thing keeping me down right now is just getting in my own way.”

Rodriguez and the Astros will tell you that Smith looks brilliant in the batting cage, but it hasn't been translating at the plate. This can't go on much longer before the Astros have to face a devastating fact that will force their hand into a tough decision.

The Astros need to send Cam Smith down to Sugar Land and hope that he isn't irreparably broken

The fact of the matter is that Smith was rushed to the big leagues. He has played just 32 minor league games with only five coming above Hi-A, all of which came while he was in the Chicago Cubs organization.

We all know that he put together a scorching hot spring training last year, so the temptation that Houston succumbed to by including him on the big league roster was somewhat understandable, even if it was short-sighted.

One has to wonder how much motivation there was to include him to prove to fans that the Astros were getting immediate dividends from the entire Kyle Tucker trade package. That didn't really work, though, and while Smith showed flashes, the majority of the season was a prolonged scuffle.

That led Dana Brown to proclaim that Smith wouldn't be guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster. However, the general manager provided very little competition for Smith, and a so-so spring was good enough for him to win the roster battle.

The fact of the matter is, Smith was a talented but raw youngster who needed more seasoning. Instead, either through hubris or lack of quality roster construction, he was thrown to the wolves. Now, he's facing a mental block and potentially shot confidence.

Sending him down to Sugar Land to work through his issues is the clear, logical next step. However, the Astros will have to hope that it isn't too little too late. As he's struggled and lost confidence, there's a chance he'll never regain it. The yips are a real thing, and if Houston ruined him by rushing him to the big leagues, it won't matter how athletically gifted he is. We'll hope this isn't the case, but we won't know for sure until we see him start to turn things around.

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