Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Recent No. 14 Prospect Offers Revealing Admission About Yankees Tenure

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated May 22, 2025 12:03 PM ET

So long as you play well in the New York Yankees’ minor league system, you shouldn’t plan on finding an apartment in the Bronx.

At least, that’s the message that Texas Rangers infielder Josh Smith essentially offered Yankees prospects this week. Smith would know better than anyone, seeing as the Yankees included him among the four prospects sent to Texas in the 2021 Joey Gallo trade.

“I kind of always figured I would get traded out of there, to be honest with you,” Smith told reporters, via the New York Post.

“I loved my time with the Yankees and everything,” Smith continued, “but … I just figured if I played well enough, I’d get traded.”

A 2019 second-round pick from LSU, Smith quickly climbed through the Yankees’ farm system. He owned a .320 average, three home runs, and 12 stolen bases through 49 High-A plate appearances when the Bombers dealt him four summers ago; Major League Baseball listed Smith as the Yankees’ No. 14 prospect entering that season.

At the time, the Yankees felt they didn’t need Smith when Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza waited in the wings. Peraza debuted the following summer, while Volpe earned the starting shortstop job ahead of the 2023 season and hasn’t looked back.

It’s clear, though, that neither Smith nor the Rangers regret that trade. Smith debuted in August 2022 and won a World Series ring a year later, seeing action in three playoff games.

Smith broke out last year, playing six positions (counting designated hitter) and providing 3.2 bWAR. He added 30 doubles, 13 home runs, and a .731 OPS en route to earning Silver Slugger honors.

“Like I said, I loved my time with the Yankees,” Smith said, who enters Thursday’s series finale with a .762 OPS and 1.4 bWAR. “I kind of just saw myself not really moving up very fast with them. And I got traded here, and it worked out perfectly.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: