2024 Chicago Cubs first-round pick continues his meteoric rise to stardom

The Chicago Cubs have done it again. Much like 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw did last season, this year’s first-rounder, Cam Smith, has dominated the lower levels of the minor leagues and earned a promotion to Double-A Tennessee prior to the end of his first season as a professional.

Before being selected with the 14th overall pick in the MLB Draft a couple of months ago, Smith finished his college career by hitting .387/.488/.654 with 16 homers in just 66 games for Florida State. 

You’d be forgiven if you expected there to be a dropoff in those numbers against professional competition (regardless of how good the ACC is), but you’d be wrong. For Low-A Myrtle Beach Smith hit .313/.404/.771 with six homers in 15 games. 

That being said, he went from being younger than the average competitor in college to being a little older than his competition at Low-A, so surely his struggles should have reared their ugly heads after getting promoted to High-A South Bend, right? Wrong.

Cam Smith is wasting no time in his climb through the Cubs' system.

In just 12 games with South Bend, Smith hit .333/.421/.500 with just one homer but he also added a triple and three doubles. 

At this rate, it wouldn’t be absurd to expect to see Smith in the majors at some point next season, but considering how gradually the Cubs have brought along Shaw this year it may be tougher to see that come to fruition. 

The Chicago Cubs have disappointed just about everyone this season with their on-field play at the Major League level, but brighter times may be just around the corner and those brighter times may be named Cam Smith.