Biography
Pavin Joe Smith (born February 6, 1996) is an American professional baseball first baseman and right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers. The Diamondbacks selected Smith in the 2017 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2020.
Amateur career
Pavin participated in the Babe Ruth League's 2008 Cal Ripken Major70 World Series. His two home runs in the World Championship helped his Jupiter, Florida team defeat Mexico, 5–4. Smith attended Palm Beach Gardens Community High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was a first baseman and pitcher for the school's baseball team . As a pitcher, he had a 5–0 win–loss record with a 0.66 earned run average and 54 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched. The Colorado Rockies selected him in the 32nd round of the 2014 MLB draft, but he did not sign.
Smith enrolled at the University of Virginia to play college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers. He played the 2015 season with an ulnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow, which prevented him from pitching. Smith had the game-winning hit in the second game of the 2015 College World Series against Vanderbilt. Smith underwent Tommy John surgery after Virginia won the College World Series, and he returned to play in 2016. He hit eight home runs as a sophomore. After the 2016 season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. In 2017, his junior year, Smith batted .342 with 13 home runs and 12 strikeouts.
Professional career
The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Smith with the seventh overall selection of the 2017 MLB draft. Smith signed with the Diamondbacks, receiving a $5 million signing bonus.
Smith made his professional debut with the Hillsboro Hops of the Low-A Northwest League and spent the rest of 2017, posting a .318 batting average with 27 runs batted in (RBIs) over 51 games. He was named a postseason All-Star. Smith played for the Visalia Rawhide of the High-A California League in 2018, where he hit .255 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs over 120 games. After the 2018 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League. Smith spent 2019 with the Jackson Generals of the Double-A Southern League. Over 123 games, he slashed .291/.370/.466 with 12 home runs and 67 RBIs.
On September 10, 2020, the Diamondbacks selected Smith's contract to the 40-man and active roster. He made his major league debut on September 12 against the Seattle Mariners and notched his first hit off Yoshihisa Hirano. On September 25, Smith hit his first major league home run off A. J. Ramos of the Colorado Rockies.
Smith played in 145 games for the Diamondbacks in 2021, hitting .267/.328/.404 with career highs in home runs (11) and RBI (49). In 2022, Smith made 75 appearances for Arizona and hit .220/.300/.367 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs. Smith was optioned to the Triple-A Reno Aces to begin the 2023 season. He returned to the Diamondbacks on April 9, after Kyle Lewis was placed on the injured list. In 69 games for Arizona, he hit .188/.317/.325 with seven home runs and 30 RBI.
Smith was again optioned to Triple-A Reno to begin the 2024 season. He hit three home runs against the Houston Astros on September 8.
Personal life
Smith's father is a sports agent who once had the golfer Corey Pavin as a client. Smith is named after the golfer. As a Christmas present in 2017, Smith paid off his parents' mortgage.
Smith is married to former University of Florida gymnast Amanda Cheney. They have one daughter.