Sep 6, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pinch hitter Cam Smith (11) runs to third base after hitting a triple during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Astros Rookie Cam Smith Struggles to Maintain Pace Throughout Regular Season

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Heading into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros seemed to be in good company with 22-year-old rookie Cam Smith. Having made his debut on opening day, he was one of the fastest players in baseball history to move from the draft to the Major Leagues. The franchise had the utmost confidence in their young, promising star.

Initially, Smith was expected to stay at the hot corner, but he quickly began adjusting to right field in mid-March.

"We were not expecting him to do things this quickly," manager Joe Espada said back in March, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. "I think he will make an impact in our lineup. I think he's mature enough. There's some challenges that come for first-year players, second-year players, third-year players. And I think this guy has checked all the boxes and we are confident that he is ready to make an impact in our lineup."

The inevitable challenges that Espada mentioned found their way to Smith, adding to the already struggling franchise. Was throwing Smith into the game so soon the right move?

Cam Smith Struggles to Meet Expectations

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

With so much pressure being placed on Smith's rookie year, it's no surprise that his season eventually started to crumble. In August, he slashed .147/.227/.221 with one home run and four RBIs — an unfortunate drop from a statistical standpoint. Just two months prior, he slashed .303/.354/.494 with four home runs and 16 RBIs across the 25 games covering June.

Smith has been described as being a "perfectionist," so his rugged season likely took a toll on the young outfielder. Nevertheless, he continued to flash beaming smiles and took each hurdle in stride.

"You're playing in the big leagues for the first time ever," said Houston's outfield coach Dave Clark, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required). "Cam, it doesn't happen in a year. It's not easy playing up here. He just has to learn how to deal with the ups and downs because it's going to happen to everybody. I've always said that the mental part is what gets you through these bad times."

Smith set an incredibly high bar for himself based on the numbers he posted toward the beginning of the season. The ability to maintain such a pace during a rookie's first year is incredibly unlikely.

He finished the season slashing .236/.312/.358 and recorded a total of 21 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 51 RBIs with a .670 OPS. Overall, his production did not meet expectations, but those expectations were set unrealistically high from the outset. With one year under his belt, he now has a firm understanding of what challenges he is likely to face throughout each upcoming season.

He has plenty of years ahead of him in the Major Leagues and ample time this offseason to start stepping it up. If he can start gaining more traction both offensively and defensively, the Astros will be in good hands.