Cubs take FSU slugger Cam Smith with No. 14 pick (2024)

CHICAGO -- Cam Smith went on a tour of Wrigley Field with his grandparents when he was a kid. He has pictures of him with his relatives -- big Cubs fans from Indiana -- but he was too young to have held on to the actual memories from that day so many years ago.

On Sunday night, the Cubs used the 14th overall pick in the MLB Draft on Smith (Florida State) and then the 54th pick (second round) on infielder Cole Mathis out of the College of Charleston (S.C.). Smith admitted to shedding some tears of joy when he heard his name called, and the third baseman is now very much looking forward to his next trip to the Friendly Confines.

“I can actually remember the experience [this time],” Smith said. “It’ll be ingrained in my head forever, and I’ll never forget about it. It’s going to be a treat, man. I assume we’re going to get emotional again.”

The way the first round unfolded on Sunday night, the Cubs actually had a few names left atop their board from which to choose. Dan Kantrovitz, the team’s vice president of scouting, said the 21-year-old Smith was the player they wanted, especially given the rapport built by area scout Ike Ballou dating back to the infielder’s high school days.

The slot value of the No. 14 pick is set at $5,070,700 for Smith, while the No. 54 pick (Mathis) has a value of $1,641,800.

Smith had not heard from the Cubs after his season with FSU concluded, but said he had a hunch they might pick him when No. 14 arrived and he was still waiting. Surrounded by a host of family and friends at his home in Florida, it was indeed the North Siders who came calling.

“Cam was somebody that we prioritized from the beginning,” Kantrovitz said. “He’s somebody that I think checked a lot of different boxes for us, somebody that we think can play third base and can stay there and potentially be really good at it. Hits for power. Hits for average. We didn’t really see any holes in his game.”

The selection of Smith falls in line with the Cubs’ usual approach to the first-round (11 of 12 first-rounders dating back to 2013 have been college players), but certainly during Katrovitz’s tenure. In his five years overseeing Chicago’s Draft, the team has now used its first-round pick on a collegiate player four times.

The Cubs picked infielder Matt Shaw (MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 Cubs prospect and No. 29 overall) out of Maryland last year, grabbed righty Cade Horton (No. 1 on team/No. 17 overall) out of Oklahoma in ‘22, and selected lefty Jordan Wicks out of Kansas State in ‘21.

Each of those past three picks arrived with the potential to quickly climb the Minor League ladder, and they have not disappointed in that regard. Shaw was in big league camp this past spring, made the All-Star Futures Game this weekend and has reached Double-A. Horton is currently rehabbing from a right lat injury, but has ascended to Triple-A. Wicks made his MLB debut last season and opened this year in the Cubs’ rotation.

The hope now would be that Smith can also be a fast riser within the Cubs’ talented system.

“With the farm system and guys shooting up [the ladder], that’s my goal,” Smith said. “That’s the goal, is to get to the big leagues as quick as you can. I’m excited to get playing.”

Smith (MLB Pipeline’s No. 14 Draft prospect) was ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Draft prospects coming out of Palm Beach (Fla.) Central High School two years ago, but he wasn’t selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, due in part to his commitment to Florida State and the fact that he was already 19, which is on the older side for a high school Draft prospect.

“I was solid out of high school, but I wasn’t ready, to be quite honest with you,” Smith said. “Going to school was the best decision I made.”

Smith went through some growing pains with the Seminoles at first, but his Draft stock skyrocketed over the past year.

It started with his stellar showing last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he earned Outstanding Pro Prospect honors after recording a .981 OPS. The third baseman followed that up by recording some eye-popping numbers in his sophom*ore season at Florida State, slashing .387/.488/.654 with 16 homers, 22 doubles and 57 RBIs over 66 games.

With an improved approach at the plate, Smith made significant strides in the contact department during that time, which allowed him to tap into his plus raw power more often. The right-handed slugger struck out only 14.9% of the time as a sophom*ore, a dramatic improvement from his 28.7% strikeout rate as a freshman.

Second round (No. 54): INF Cole Mathis, College of Charleston (S.C.)
The Cubs used their second pick of the night on the 20-year-old Mathis, who checked in at No. 84 in Pipeline’s Draft prospect rankings. The North Siders announced Mathis as a third baseman at the time of their selection, but he also played first base this season for the College of Charleston.

In 52 games this season, the 6-foot-1 Mathis hit .335/.472/.650 with 14 home runs, 17 doubles, 57 RBIs and more walks (46) than strikeouts (32). That showing follows a strong performance with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League, where Mathis hit .318 with 11 homers, 42 RBIs and a 1.048 OPS in 38 games.

Mathis did not pitch in ‘24 due to an elbow injury, but was a two-way player the previous season. He had a 3.45 ERA and a 1.014 OPS that year for the College of Charleston. On the mound, he featured a low-90s fastball to pair with a curveball, while showing a cutter and changeup at times, per Pipeline.