MLB Draft 2023: Dodgers pick RHP Brady Smith in the third round

The Dodgers started off Day 2 of the 2023 MLB Draft by taking Tennessee high school pitcher Brady Smith with their third-round selection, the 95th overall pick in the draft.

Smith is the second high school pick in the first three rounds for Los Angeles, which drafted speedster Kendall George out of Texas with their first pick on Sunday, No. 36 overall.

Smith excelled both at the plate and on the mound as a senior at Grainger High School in Tennessee. He struck out 101 and allowed only 15 hits in 48⅓ innings with a 0.87 ERA, and was a three-time All-State player.

The right-hander has a college commitment to Virginia Tech.

This is what Smith told Marlin Curnutt of the Citizen Tribune this week:

“It’s awesome and it would be a dream come true but either way, I fell like I am in a good spot, whether I get drafted or go to school,” the Virginia Tech signee said when talking about his draft prospects. “I will be playing in the ACC if I don’t get drafted and if I do get drafted, I will be starting my professional career and get an early head start on that. Either way, I am excited and thankful for all the opportunities I have had.”

Smith was ranked 124th by Kiley McDaniel at ESPN, ranked 138th at MLB Pipeline, and was all the way down at No. 422 by Baseball America. McDaniel called Smith a “thinner-framed 6-foot-2 prep righty really knows what he’s doing with solid-average stuff, feel and projection.”

From his MLB Pipeline scouting report:

Despite getting a late start on the diamond because he played basketball over the winter, Smith has come out firing at 90-93 mph and reaching 95 with arm-side run on his fastball. He should gain more velocity once he adds some strength to his skinny 6-foot-2 frame. He notches high spin rates on two distinct breaking pitches — an upper-70s curveball that grades as plus, and a low-80s slider with more lateral break.

The No. 95 pick comes with a recommended slot value of $705,500.