Dodgers 2023 All-Star profile: Will Smith

Will Smith, a fixture in the heart of the Dodgers lineup for a fourth year, has been thought of as one of the best catchers in baseball for a few seasons running, and this year finally got the recognition of an All-Star berth.

Selection process

Smith was one of two finalists at catcher in the National League in fan voting, but got 39 percent of the vote in the final round, losing out to Braves catcher Sean Murphy.

Smith was a selection to the All-Star Game by the players, who also had Smith second with 211 votes to Murphy’s 330 tallies.

All-Star history

It’s the first All-Star nod for Smith, which is almost the norm. Among the 32 All-Stars on the initial National League roster announced on July 2, a whopping 15 are first-timers, including all three NL catchers — Smith, Murphy, and the Rockies’ Elias Díaz.

Pre-break stats

Smith is hitting .279/.396/.494 with 13 home runs and a 143 wRC+ as the No. 3 hitter on the team that scores the third-most runs in the majors. He leads all National League catchers in runs scored (44), is second in RBI (46), on-base percentage, wRC+, and fWAR (3.0), and third in home runs.

Dodgers history

Smith is the 12th Dodgers All-Star catcher. Six have been to All-Star Games multiple years — Roy Campanella (seven times), Mike Piazza (five times), John Roseboro (three times), Mike Scioscia (twice), Paul Lo Duca (twice), and Russell Martin (twice).

The last Dodgers catcher with a hit in an All-Star Game was Martin, who singled in 2008.