Quick Facts
Biography
Burch Taylor Smith (born April 12, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He previously played for the San Diego Padres.
Amateur career
Smith attended Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas. At Howard College, Smith's team was the 2009 NCJAA National Champion, and he was named the 2010 Western Junior College Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. Smith was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 49th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft and the 20th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft out of Howard but did not sign either time. He then attended the University of Oklahoma as a junior, going 10-4.
Professional career
San Diego Padres
Smith was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 11th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.
Pitching for the Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm in 2012, Smith went 9-6 with a 3.85 earned run average and 137 strikeouts. He started the 2013 season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week in April 2013, and the Padres Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April with a 1.38 ERA over 5 starts.
Smith made his Major League debut Saturday, May 11, 2013, against the Tampa Bay Rays as he was called up from Double-A.
In his Major League debut, Smith pitched a clean first inning, striking out his first two batters, but he did not record an out in the second, giving up 6 earned runs on 5 hits. He was sent down to the Triple-A Tucson Padres on May 22 after allowing 15 earned runs in 3 starts. He was recalled on June 8, but did not make an appearance before he was optioned back to Tucson on June 10. He came back to the Major League club on June 28 after posting a 2.54 ERA in 5 starts overall with Tucson. Smith joined the bullpen where he made three appearances before being sent down again on July 5.
Smith made 7 more starts for Tucson, striking out 10 in his final appearance, and then returned to the Major League Padres' rotation with the September roster expansion. He made 4 more starts for the club in 2013, allowing 10 runs with 31 strike-outs.
Tampa Bay Rays
On December 19, 2014, the Padres traded Smith, Jake Bauers, and René Rivera to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that saw the Rays trade Wil Myers and Ryan Hanigan to the Padres, the Padres trade Joe Ross and a player to be named later to the Washington Nationals, and Washington trade Steven Souza and Travis Ott to Tampa Bay. Smith will miss the 2015 season after having Tommy John surgery.