Kevin Smith had a limited impact on the New York Yankees’ major league roster. He appeared in two games as a pinch runner but didn’t get an at-bat or play in the field. Had the World Series played out differently, Smith might have earned a championship ring. At 28, Smith was released by the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate at the end of the season, which concluded with New York losing a five-game World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Despite his release, Smith went unsigned as a free agent and, as of Monday, he announced his retirement via social media. In his post on Twitter/X, he expressed gratitude for the support he received throughout his career, saying, “I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by amazing people who believed in me, helped me, and pushed me to accomplish the things I’ve always dreamed of.” He also mentioned the sacrifices his family made and looked forward to spending more time at home, as he had not lived in one place for more than a decade.
Smith played 116 games in the major leagues for the Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland A’s, and Yankees, who signed him as a free agent in January 2024. Over his career, he hit .173 with a .215 on-base percentage, and a .301 slugging percentage, with eight home runs and 25 RBIs, primarily with Oakland during 2022-23.
Kevin Smith
In addition, he played in 601 minor league games from 2017 to 2024, posting a .269/.328/.481 slash line while playing six different positions. He also made two appearances as a pitcher for the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate last year, allowing seven hits over 3.2 innings with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Born in East Greenbush, NY, Smith grew up a Yankees fan. He shared on Twitter/X how he fondly remembered watching Derek Jeter as a child and telling his father at nine years old that he wanted to play in the MLB one day. Smith recalled his father’s reassuring response: “You will, as long as you put in the work.”
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