If you’ve ever spent 6 months grinding out a baseball season you understand the value of having high energy and infectiously positive people around you. Baseball is largely a game of failure, and it’s grueling, so having positive energy every day you show up to the ballpark is not always easy. 

That is unless your name is Julian Smith.

Smith is a left-handed relief pitcher in the Dodgers organization whose positive process and electric energy are contagious, and rubs off on those around him.

Cox Mill

Smith grew up in North Carolina and was a 2-way standout at Cox Mill High School about 30 minutes North of Charlotte. As good as he was in High School though, he could be considered a late bloomer because he grew 3 inches during his 1st year of College and it wasn’t until very recently that he started to fill out his frame. 

After High School, Smith had some Mid-Major DI attention but felt like JUCO baseball was the best place for him, and Catawba, a nearby Community College, became his destination. 

Smith wanted to go somewhere that he was wanted, and that could maximize his potential and CVCC fit the bill. Here’s what Smith had to say about why he chose Catawba.

I just felt like Catawba was the best route for me. When I was a Senior in High School I was like a mid 80’s lefty, and I had some Mid-Major and DII interest, but I thought the idea of the 2-year college, with the chance of getting drafted after one was the better route for me. 

Catawba

At Catawba, Smith experienced a little bit of everything. He became an All-American, which is great, but he also had to have Tommy John Surgery early into his career which halted a fairly large amount of momentum he had created. 

But, that was temporary because he made it back in the typical 13-month period, and in time to dominate his final season in 2018 as a Red Hawk.

In the 2018 season, his 3rd season on Campus, the long-lanky left-hander posted a 2.51 ERA, a WHIP of just 1.05, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 4 to 1. 

He is very thankful for the opportunities that Catawba gave him and for the coaches that believed in him there. 

I loved JUCO. It’s kind of a different brand of baseball and it’s gritty and I thought that suited me. Coach Rozzelle and Coach Harvey turned a 160-pound 18-year-old kid into a draft pick, so I don’t think I’d be where I’m at today without my time at CVCC.

Paul Rozzelle is the Head Coach Smith was referencing in his comment. In 2021 he became the school’s all-time winningest coach, so, no doubt, he was in good hands and appreciates the great work his coaches at Catawba did.

After a great 2018, Smith had the offer to further his Collegiate career at NC State but eventually chose to turn pro after being drafted by the Dodgers in the 15th Round. It was a tough decision, but making the Big Leagues has always been a dream of his, especially with an organization whose developmental system is as good as the Dodgers.

That was definitely a tough decision, but growing up, College was definitely part of the path. but it was never really the end goal. I’ve wanted to be in the Big Leagues since I was a kid so I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to play professional baseball. I talked to my family and all the people closest to me, and that’s the decision we came up with. Hearing my name called was definitely a “Dream Come True”.

As excited as Smith was to get his professional career started, he had to wait a while. At least to pitch in games. Smith had shoulder fatigue that kept him out of his entire short season in 2018 and kept him from getting his career started until mid-June of the next season in 2019. 

It was a period of time that was frustrating but also helped him see things through the big picture. 

It was hard at first because I was excited about getting drafted and I wanted to put the jersey on and compete. But, being here and being with the guys got me thinking about the long-term goal because they expressed to me the importance of working on my body and getting stronger, and learning a better routine so that in the future I wouldn’t have to miss any more time. So, once I got my mind wrapped around the fact that it was more about the end goal and not right now it became easier to accept.

Smith eventually did get started in June of 2019 in the ACL at the complex and finished the rest of that season there. After Covid canceled 2020, he started 2021 in Rancho, then got moved to Great Lakes in mid-August where he spent all of last year. 

Feature Cut

Smith was a starter in High School and College and was drafted to be a starter with the Dodgers, but has transitioned into the bullpen. He enjoys that role because he gets to pitch in the biggest moments of the game, and, as he puts it, you either get the job done and the team wins, or you don’t and the team loses. So, from that perspective, the feedback is very clear and works well with his competitive nature.

Smith is still growing his ceiling and putting everything together between his physical frame, his tools, and his pitch mix, so the next couple of years will be exciting to watch his development. 

He features a fastball that is in the 90’s range, a slider at 86, and a cutter. He added the cutter this past season and feels like it was maybe his best pitch by the end of last year. 

Finishing Up

When watching Smith pitch, one of the first things that is easily identifiable is his fun and competitive energy. He brings a certain amount of electricity to the mound with him that is infectious to those around him. 

He spent the end of 2021 at Great Lakes and all of 2022 there as well, so it could be assumed that he will start this next season in AA Tulsa, or at least get moved there fairly quickly. He is inching his way closer and closer to his childhood dream which is to “one-day” pitch in the Major Leagues. 

In closing, I would like to thank Julian for joining Dodgers Daily for an interview. After watching him develop in the system I was excited to finally get to talk to him and his positive and competitive energy really came through during the interview. Julian has a very bright future ahead of him and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way. 

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