BROOKLYN, N.Y. —Mets outfield prospect Aidan Smith knows that he won’t reach his full potential until he cuts down on his strikeouts.
This season, before Smith was traded from the Rays to the Mets in the Freddy Peralta deal, the 22-year-old was punching out in a career-high 32% of his plate appearances with Tampa Bay’s High-A affiliate. In 49 games, he hit .215 with a .693 OPS.
In 2025, Smith had a 31.2% strikeout rate at the same level while batting .237 with a .719 OPS across 102 games.
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“I feel like that’s the last glaring hole [in my game] and something I can get better at,” Smith told NJ.com before his home debut with High-A Brooklyn on Tuesday.
What gives Smith a “really high ceiling,” as Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns put it last week, is the rest of his tools. Smith, who is now ranked as the Mets’ No. 12 prospect by Baseball America, is an above-average runner and defender. There may be holes in his swing, but he has legitimate pull-side pop.
This is the same prospect who was considered the headliner in the Randy Arozarena trade from the Mariners to the Rays ahead of the 2024 deadline. That year, at just 19, Smith slashed .288/.401/.473 with 11 home runs and a 143 wRC+ over 97 games in Class-A with Seattle and Tampa Bay.
“My first year was a great year and I ended it on a high note with the Rays,” Smith said. “Last year, I went a little down, but I learned a lot from it, and really, I think got better on the mental side of the game. It’s helping me with my success now.”
Smith has made quite a first impression in his first week in a Cyclones uniform. He swatted four home runs in his first six games with Brooklyn while stealing two bases and spending time at all three outfield positions.
Still, the strikeouts have persisted. Smith has struck out 10 times in 30 at-bats over his first seven games in the Mets’ system.
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“You’re never going to be able to be perfect,” Smith said, “but if I can at least limit some of that and give myself opportunities to get hustle singles in the infield or draw walks, whatever it may be, I think that’s going to really elevate me.”
Smith explained that he’s working on making better swing decisions. In the cage, coaches pepper him with different types of pitches. Out on the field in batting practice, he approaches each pitch as though he’s ahead in a 2-0 count. Those situations force him to be stubborn and wait for the pitch he’s looking for in his wheelhouse. When he does get those pitches over the plate, the goal is to put a good swing on them and drive them.
“Swinging at the right pitches and swinging at the right pitches that you’re good at hitting,” Smith said. “More often than not, you’re gonna hit balls you want to hit and those lead to homers.”
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