Quick Facts
Biography
Devin Paul Smeltzer (born September 7, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
At the age of 9, Smeltzer was diagnosed with pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer. A tumor had grown against his bladder that was connected to his prostate. He was treated with surgery and chemotherapy at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. The cancer went into full remission in 2012.
Smeltzer attended Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, and played for the school's baseball team. The San Diego Padres selected him in the 33rd round of the 2014 MLB draft, but he chose to enroll at Florida Gulf Coast University to play college baseball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles rather than sign with the Padres. He pitched to a 1–4 win-loss record and a 6.19 earned run average (ERA) for the Eagles. In the summer of 2015, he pitched in collegiate summer baseball for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League. After one year with the Eagles, he transferred to San Jacinto College, so that he would become eligible in the 2016 MLB draft. Smeltzer had a 9–3 record and a 1.18 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 91 2⁄3 innings pitched for San Jacinto's baseball team. He committed to transfer to Texas Tech University on a baseball scholarship after his sophomore year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Smeltzer in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft. He signed with the Dodgers rather than transferring to Texas Tech, and received a $500,000 signing bonus. He played for the Arizona Dodgers of the Rookie-level Arizona League after signing, and began the 2017 season with the Great Lakes Loons of the Class A Midwest League. In 2017 he made 10 starts for Great Lakes and 15 (plus one relief appearance) for the Advanced-Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League. He was 7–7 with a 4.17 ERA.
