Astros’ Cam Smith Could Join Two-Time All-Star in Historic Club Thursday

When the Astros acquired third baseman Cam Smith as the centerpiece of the Kyle Tucker Cubs trade, they assumed he would need more time in the minor leagues to prepare for a full-time role in the show.

Smith, however, turned several heads in Spring Training, earning the starting right field job after batting .342/.419/.711 in 38 at-bats with four home runs. He has 32 games under his belt in the minor leagues, and the lengths that the Astros have gone to ensure Smith is on the Opening Day roster puts him in elite company.

On Thursday, Smith will become one of three players all-time to have their position entirely changed to ensure an Opening Day start. He will join seven-time All Star and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor (1978 Brewers) and three-time All Star Mark Teixeira (2003 Rangers) as the only prospects so highly touted that teams bent over backwards to ensure their place on the Opening Day roster.

Since 1965, only two position players have reached the MLB with fewer minor league games than Smith. All-time NCAA Division I home runs leader Pete Incaviglia made the 1986 Texas Rangers with zero games of professional experience, and two-way prospect John Olerud cracked the 1990 Blue Jays squad with just six games under his belt.

Smith, aside from being the third quickest position player since 1965 to make his debut, is now one of only 18 position players to make the big leagues with fewer than 100 minor league games played.

To name a few: Dave Winfield (56 games), Robin Yount (64 games), Molitor, Will Clark (65 games), Ozzie Smith (68 games), Bo Jackson (78 games), Ryan Zimmerman (87 games).

Wyatt Langford and Nolan Schanuel were called up in 2024 after 44 and 51 games respectively, and Andrew Vaughn was called up in 2021 after 55 minor league games.

Smith on Thursday will join elite company, both past and present, and look to make a serious dent on a new-look Astros team in 2025.