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AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Stay in State, Sign Former St. Cloud State Star, Outfielder Jordan Smith

February 26, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints could build a solid roster with players they have signed from the state of Minnesota. After working on the infield over the last couple of weeks manager George Tsamis has started to focus on the outfield and his first signing is a former St. Cloud State University player, left-hand hitting, and three-time All-Star, Jordan Smith.

The 27-year-old Smith spent last season between Double-A and Triple-A in the Cleveland Indians organization, where he has spent his entire seven-year professional career. Between the two stops he hit .212 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 97 games. In 307 at bats he scored 34 runs, roped 10 doubles, one triple, with a .278 on base percentage and .280 slugging percentage. Smith started, and finished, the season at Triple-A Columbus, playing 56 games, and spent 41 games in the middle of the season at Double-A Akron.

Smith was a ninth-round draft pick by the Indians out of St. Cloud State and began his impressive career that season at Low-A Mahoning Valley in the New York-Penn League. He hit .300 with 47 RBI in 65 games and was selected to the New York-Penn League All-Star game where he went 2-2. In 243 at bats he scored 36 runs, slugged 20 doubles, the first of six consecutive seasons with 20 or more doubles, one triple, walked more than he struck out (35 to 30), with a .403 on base percentage, and .391 slugging percentage. Smith finished tied for second in the league in RBI, third in on base percentage, fourth in lowest total plate appearance/strikeout (9.67) and sixth in average. He had the top hitting streak in the league, with a career high 18 from June 22-August 3 and reached base safely in 29 consecutive home games from June 22-August 28.

In 2012 Smith spent the entire season with the Lake County Captains at Single-A in the Midwest League. He once again was one of the top hitters in the league with a .316 batting average and career highs in home runs, nine, and RBI, 74. In 478 at bats he scored 70 runs, smacked 23 doubles, seven triples, had a .367 on base percentage, and a .453 slugging percentage. Smith finished first in the league in hits (148), second in average, third in lowest total plate appearances/strikeout (9.90), and tied for third in total bases (212). He helped guide the Captains to the playoffs, and after winning their opening round series, lost two-games-to-one to the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the semifinals. His season was highlighted by tripling in three straight games from April 15-17, a 10-game hitting streak from May 26-June 3, and five straight multi-hit games, including three, three-hit games, from July 6-15. Smith was selected as an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star.

Smith repeated his MiLB.com Organizational All-Star performance in 2013, this time at High-A with the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. He hit .292 with five home runs and 54 RBI in 134 games. In 518 at bats he scored a career high 71 runs, crushed a career high 29 doubles, six triples, walked 62 times, stole a career high 18 bases, with a .368 on base percentage, and a .400 slugging percentage. Smith reached base safely in a career high 24 consecutive games from April 20-May 14. He finished first in the league in hits (151), 2nd in lowest total plate appearances/strikeout (8.14), tied for third in games played, and fifth in at bats and total bases (207). Smith collected his first four-hit game on July 26.

In 2014 Smith spent the entire season at Double-A with the Akron RubberDucks where he hit .248 with two home runs and 50 RBI. He collected 24 doubles and had a 10-game hitting streak from July 13-23. Just four days after the streak came to an end Smith hit for the cycle on July 27 at Reading. He completed the cycle with a two-run triple in the ninth. The RubberDucks reached the playoffs, but lost in the Division Series three-games-to-one to the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

The following season Smith played his second full season with the RubberDucks and hit .257 with five home runs and 57 RBI. He once again had more than 20 doubles, 24, and tied his career high with 18 stolen bases. He finished first in the Eastern League in fielding percentage among outfielders at .997, committing just one error on the season. Smith reached base safely in 22 consecutive games from April 26-May 21, which included walking in 10 straight from May 1-11. On June 12 at Reading, Smith collected his only professional five-hit game going 5-6 with four runs scored. He finished the season strong hitting safely in 20 of the final 23 games played.

Smith received his first taste of Triple-A in 2016 splitting time between Akron and Columbus. He played 97 games at Akron and 17 games at Columbus and between the two stops he hit .261 with eight home runs and 52 RBI. For the sixth consecutive season he collected 20 or more doubles, this time a career tying high 29, while also swiping 17 bases. He reached base safely in 21 straight games in Akron from August 11-September 3. The RubberDucks won the Eastern League Championship with a three-game sweep of the Trenton Thunder. Smith hit .273 in the playoffs and led all playoff participants in runs scored (7) and was third in on base percentage (.484).

Smith was a standout at St. Cloud State and it started his freshman season where he hit .457 with 15 home runs and 78 RBI in 58 games. He was named the NSIC Freshman of the Year and earned All-American honors in 2010. During his sophomore year he was named the NSIC and All-Region Player of the Year, and also gained consensus All-American status for the Huskies. He hit .382 with seven home runs and 57 RBI in 54 games. Those two years proved more than enough for Smith to be drafted in the ninth round by the Indians.

Smith is a graduate of Willmar High School in Willmar, MN.

This is the fourth player the Saints have signed in the off-season. Smith joins first baseman Brady Shoemaker and infielders Noah Perio and Josh Allen. The Saints had signed infielder Jake Hager, but he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization on February 20.

The Saints begin the 2018 season on the road against the Gary SouthShore Railcats on Friday, May 18. The Saints first game at home is on Monday, May 21 against the newest member of the American Association, the Chicago Dogs, at 3:05 p.m.

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