Mallex Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mallex Smith |
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Smith with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017
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| Charros de Jalisco – No. 0 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 6, 1993 Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 11, 2016, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2020 season) |
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| Batting average | .255 | ||
| Home runs | 13 | ||
| Runs batted in | 114 | ||
| Stolen bases | 120 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Mallex Lydell Smith (born May 6, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder. He currently plays for the Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican League. Before that, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, and Seattle Mariners.
Smith played college baseball at Santa Fe College. The San Diego Padres drafted him in 2013. He joined the Atlanta Braves in 2014 and made his MLB debut in 2016. Smith had a fantastic season in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was known for his speed and ability to steal bases. In 2019, he led the American League in stolen bases.
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Early Life and College Baseball
Mallex Smith was born in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 6, 1993. He was one of four children. He went to James S. Rickards High School. There, he played both football as a safety and baseball.
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Smith in 2011 after high school. However, he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to play college baseball at Santa Fe College. In his only college season, Smith was a great hitter. He had a .380 batting average and stole 31 bases.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting with the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres drafted Mallex Smith in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He signed with them and started his professional career that year. He played for the Arizona League Padres and the Eugene Emeralds. Between these two teams, he hit .305 and stole 17 bases.
In 2013, Smith played for the Fort Wayne TinCaps. He played in 110 games and stole 64 bases. This was almost a team record! In 2014, he started again with Fort Wayne. Later that year, he moved up to the Lake Elsinore Storm. He finished 2014 hitting .310. He also led all minor league players with 88 stolen bases.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves
On December 19, 2014, the Padres traded Smith to the Atlanta Braves. He was part of a trade that sent several players to Atlanta. Even though he hadn't played in Double-A yet, Smith was invited to the Braves' spring training in 2015.
He started the 2015 season with the Mississippi Braves. He played very well, hitting .340. Because of his good play, he was promoted to the Gwinnett Braves in June. This team is part of the Triple-A International League. Smith finished the season in Triple-A. He was named the Braves' Minor League Player of the Year.
Smith started the 2016 season with Gwinnett again. The Braves called him up to the major leagues on April 11, 2016. He played his first MLB game that night against the Washington Nationals. Smith got his first hit in that game. A few days later, he got his first stolen base. On April 17, he got his first career RBI (Run Batted In). On May 3, he hit his first career home run.
Unfortunately, Smith broke his thumb on June 20, 2016. He was hit by a fastball from a pitcher. He had to miss most of the rest of the season. He returned briefly in September as a bench player.
Time with the Tampa Bay Rays
2017 Season
On January 11, 2017, the Braves traded Smith to the Seattle Mariners. On the same day, the Mariners traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays. When he joined the Rays, Smith changed his uniform number to 0. He said he chose 0 because his game is "a little bit different."
On April 9, 2017, Smith had a great game. He reached base five times and stole two bases. He also scored the winning run in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. After this game, his teammate Chris Archer started calling his exciting play the "Mallex Effect." Smith was sent to Triple-A in August but was called back up later. He finished the 2017 season hitting .270 with 16 stolen bases.
2018 Season
Smith made the Rays' Opening Day roster in 2018. He started wearing a gold chain shaped like Florida to show his home state pride. When another player got injured, Smith became the starting center fielder. He played every day because of his strong performance. By the All-Star break, he had already played more games than in any previous season.
In August 2018, Smith had a viral infection and was placed on the disabled list. At that time, he was hitting .307 and had 27 stolen bases. Smith was nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award. This award recognizes players who show great character and help their community. He also won the Paul C. Smith Champion Award for his professionalism.
Smith had an amazing 2018 season. He hit .296 and stole 40 bases, which was second in the American League. He also had 10 triples, tying for the most in the American League.
Return to the Seattle Mariners
2019 Season
On November 8, 2018, the Rays traded Smith back to the Seattle Mariners. During spring training, he hurt his arm while throwing. This meant he missed the start of the 2019 season. However, he returned for the Mariners' home opener on March 28.
In April 2019, Smith was sent down to Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers because he was struggling. But he played well in Tacoma and was called back up to the Mariners in May. In 2019, he led all of Major League Baseball with 46 stolen bases.
2020 Season
Smith was removed from the Mariners' main roster on September 11, 2020. He became a free agent later that month.
Other Teams
After leaving the Mariners, Mallex Smith signed minor league deals with a few different teams.
- On November 4, 2020, he signed with the New York Mets. He was released in May 2021.
- On June 18, 2021, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds organization. He played 22 games in Triple-A.
- On August 14, 2021, Smith was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He played for their Triple-A team. He was released in June 2022.
- On June 12, 2022, he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs. This team is in an independent league. He played 27 games there.
Mexican League Teams
Mallex Smith has played for several teams in the Mexican League.
- On February 8, 2023, he signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo. He played 13 games before being released in May.
- On June 2, 2023, he signed with the Mariachis de Guadalajara. He played 49 games and hit .340 with 20 stolen bases.
- On May 3, 2024, Smith signed with El Águila de Veracruz. He did not play in any games in 2024.
- On January 15, 2025, he signed with the Pericos de Puebla. He was released in March.
- On April 29, 2025, Smith signed with the Bravos de León. He played 11 games.
- On May 17, 2025, the Charros de Jalisco claimed Smith. He is currently playing for them.
