Cam Smith made a splash in Houston Astros training camp last spring.
After playing just 32 minor league games, the former Palm Beach Central High School and Florida State University standout immediately caught the attention of manager Joe Espada when he hit two home runs against the New York Mets on Feb. 25. By the time Houston broke camp a month later, Smith was the team’s leader in home runs (4) and RBIs (11) and was batting .342.
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The Astros were so impressed that they gave Smith, a career infielder, an outfield tryout to give him a better chance of making it to the major league club. Smith passed the audition and opened the season as Houston’s starting right fielder.
A year later, instead of trying to win a job, Smith was trying to keep one.
Former Palm Beach Central star Cam Smith (center) receives a framed jersey during a pregame ceremony on Feb. 20. Joining him (from left) are assistant coach Lou Todaro, head coach Christian Benhart, principal Reginald Myers and athletic director Travis Abel.
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“I still have to earn my spot, but I’m ready,” he said during a Feb. 20 visit to the Palm Beach Center, where his jersey was retired and he threw out the first pitch before the Broncos’ game against Park Vista.
Astros general manager Dana Brown made it clear during a meeting with reporters in November that Smith was not guaranteed a roster spot after struggling in the second half of the 2025 season.
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“I think he’ll try to play more consistently when he comes back and make the necessary adjustments,” Brown said. “But if he’s not out of the woods yet, we have to be open to sending him back to 3A.”
That puts Smith in the spotlight even more than he was last year, when he came to the Astros as a key player and sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs.
Smith, the 14th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, entered training camp without having played above Double-A. As the Astros moved into the infield, a ticket to Triple A Sugar Land seemed likely before he started looking back.
Even so, Smith’s spot on the opener roster wasn’t confirmed until Espada broke the news to him in front of his teammates and his parents two days before the opener. At this point, Smith burst into tears and hugged his mother.
Palm Beach Central has added a banner honoring Cam Smith to its ballpark tailgate, joining two other graduates who have played in the major leagues, Brad Peacock and Devin Travis.
“I think the best thing is you get thrown into the fire and you keep adjusting and adapting,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I think they made the right decision – and I know they did. I learned a lot and I can’t wait for next season.”
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Smith, a shortstop at Palm Beach Central and third baseman at Florida State, played just one week in the outfield before making his MLB debut.
“There’s definitely an adjustment period,” he said. “Literally the biggest difference is that I’m so far away compared to being in the hot corner. I have to get my eyes used to seeing that far away. The other difference is that I can really run around there and show off my speed more. I had a lot of fun.”
Smith made a smooth defensive transition and got off to a strong start at the plate, but his .765 OPS in the first half of the season was replaced by .489 after the All-Star break. As an MLB outfielder, his final numbers were substandard: .236 average, 9 homers, 51 RBIs.
Cam Smith throws out the first pitch before a game against Park Vista on Feb. 20 at Palm Beach Central.
“Overall, I didn’t contribute as much as I wanted to for the guys behind me,” Smith said. “But I’ve also had some great moments, some lifelong memories, so every day I step out on the field is a dream come true.”
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The Astros, who missed the postseason last year, ending a streak of eight straight appearances that included two World Series titles, are a team in flux. Their outfield is one of the least efficient in baseball. Left fielder Zach Cole and center fielder Jake Meyers have the lead for the starting job, but right fielder is still up for grabs.
“The veterans that have done it, have good records, they’ve been put on the roster,” Brown said in November. “The other guys, I feel like we’ve got to let it play out and see who comes in and see who has it. There’s a lot to be said for the guys that worked hard in the offseason and then made the necessary adjustments. We hope Cam does that. If he does, we’ll be excited.”
Smith, ever the optimist, said he’s ready to help the Astros return to the postseason.
“I always want to get better,” he said. “I think that’s my motto – get 1 percent better every day. I’m always trying to get to the top… We always have that goal: to get to the World Series and win it all and then bring it back to Houston. We’ve got everything we need.”
This article originally appeared in The Palm Beach Post: Astros’ Cam Smith returns home for spring training, jersey retired