Former LSU Infielder Josh Smith Named MLB Silver Slugger Award

BATON ROUGE, La. – Former LSU infielder Josh Smith of the Texas Rangers has been named a recipient of the 2024 Silver Slugger Award.

The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.

Smith, a Baton Rouge native who played at LSU from 2017-19, received the Silver Slugger Award as the American League utility player, seeing action during the season at third base, at shortstop and as an outfielder.

LSU now has five Silver Slugger Award winners in its baseball history – outfielder Albert Belle won the American League award five times (1993-96, Cleveland; 1998, Chicago White Sox); Aaron Hill was the AL winner at second base in 2009 (Toronto); third baseman Alex Bregman was an AL recipient in 2019 (Houston); and second baseman DJ LeMahieu has been named a Silver Slugger Award winner on two occasions (2019-20, New York Yankees).

Smith, who made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2022, batted .258 this season with 30 doubles, 13 home runs, 62 RBI, 67 runs and 11 stolen bases in 149 games.

He was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Yankees, and he was traded in July 2021 to Texas, earning a World Series ring in 2023 when the Rangers claimed their first title.

Smith was LSU’s starting shortstop in 2019 after missing most of the 2018 season with a stress reaction in his vertebrae. He was the starting third baseman for LSU’s 2017 College World Series runners-up team, earning Freshman All-America and Freshman All-SEC recognition.

Smith, a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as a finance major, was LSU’s leading hitter in 2019, batting .346 (89-for-257) with 17 doubles, two triples, nine homers, 41 RBI, 72 runs and 20 steals in 24 attempts.

Smith was named to the 2019 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament team after hitting .400 (4-for-10) with one double, one triple, one homer, three RBI and five runs. He was voted to the 2019 SEC All-Tournament Team after hitting .360 (9-for-25) with two doubles, one homer, four RBI and five runs.

(Release via LSU Athletics)