MESA, Ariz. – For as long as Cade Smith can remember, he’s been able to spin the ball. Sliders, curveballs, sweepers, you name it -- if it benefits from some break and movement, the Yankees’ No. 19 prospect has felt a calling to throw it.
Smith leaned heavily on his pair of breaking balls during his second Arizona Fall League outing Tuesday, retiring the first 11 batters he faced en route to a 6-3 Mesa win over Salt River at Sloan Park. He yielded a single to his final hitter who came around to score later in the frame, marring an otherwise sparkling 3 2/3-inning, five-strikeout afternoon.
More on the Arizona Fall League:
If it seemed like the former Mississippi State standout had some extra juice, it’s because before the game former Bulldogs teammate David Mershon, a prospect in the Angels system, let him know he was leading off against him.
It had been two years since the duo faced off inside of Duly Noble Field in Starkville, Miss., but Smith won both encounters Tuesday, twice getting Mershon to ground out to short on the second pitch of the at-bat. That the infielder was hacking early in the count is no surprise -- he knew allowing Smith to get ahead in the count meant there would be spin to come. And hitters don’t fare well when the spin arrives.
It’s an extremely limited sample size, but through Smith’s first two AFL appearances, he’s gotten a 60 percent or better whiff rate on both of his breaking balls -- 63.6 on the slider, 60 on the curve. The offerings both max out with a spin rate in the 2600s, but their depth and speed differential make them uniquely tough to square up, or really, make contact on at all.
“I think the execution is a big part of it,” Smith said. “Get it in the zone early in counts and I was on top of that. It makes it a lot easier.”
Through two pro seasons, the Yankees’ sixth-round pick from the 2023 Draft has enjoyed a ton of success at the lower levels. Despite working with a four-seam fastball that parks around just 91 mph, Smith has accumulated 10.8 K/9 to go along with a 3.31 ERA and a .182 average-against.
While Smith put himself on the map in 2021 out of the bullpen during the Bulldogs’ national championship run, he struggled to find the same success as a starter over the following two seasons. He walked 74 batters in 130 1/3 college innings (5.1 BB/9) but New York knew what he was good at and thought they’d have an opportunity to blend what he could do with what they could teach him.
“Everything’s changed,” said Smith of his arsenal from his final Mississippi State outing to now. “I’m paying more attention to execution instead of just being a thrower.”
More from MLB Pipeline:
• Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage
The Yankees have a track record of finding mid-round gems in the Draft in recent years: Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Hayden Wesneski and Richard Fitts have all made their big league debuts, to name a few. Schlittler pitched his way into franchise lore earlier this month during the postseason while Warren established himself as a solid mid-rotation piece during his first full campaign in the Bronx.
Smith might look like he’s far from The Show, yet to throw a pitch above High-A, but his collegiate track record, age (23) and presence on the club’s 2025 Spring Breakout roster -- not to mention his stuff -- indicate the bright lights might not be as far off as they seem. Ergo, his attendance in the Arizona Fall League.
Limited to just 11 starts and 39 2/3 innings during the regular season (mostly with High-A Hudson Valley) due to a right shoulder ailment, Smith has benefited from the prospect showcase circuit enabling him to make up for lost innings. He may not have been on the mound until early July, but that doesn’t mean he passed up on the opportunity to glean positives in a season full of them.
“I feel like you grow even if you’re on the shelf,” said Smith. “You develop a routine and that helps you in the long run.”
Yes, Smith gets mistaken for Guardians reliever Cade Smith all the time on social media. He’s learned to shy away from that part of the unique name coincidence. But if his time in the Fall League -- and the Yankees’ system -- is any indication, it won't be long until Smith makes a name for himself.