A three-year varsity letterman at Amelia High School and a Division I All-Fort Ancient Valley Conference honoree, Smith also pitched five years for the select American Amateur Baseball Congress Midland team in Cincinnati. Even through his labrum surgery he was dedicated to return to baseball. In college, he was redshirted and played three years in the Horizon League. Ultimately, Smith became Wright State's closer his junior and senior year, as he gained 4–6 mph on his fastball after changing his delivery. He had 13 saves his senior season and a 0.98 ERA. In three seasons Smith posted 22 saves, 145 strikeouts, and 39 walks. In 2005, he was the WSU team MVP and in 2006 he was awarded second team All-Mideast Region, first team Horizon League, Horizon League Pitcher of the Year and WSU Most Valuable Male Athlete.

In the late summer of 2004, Smith played summer ball with the NECBL with the North Adams Steeplecats. In 2005, Smith briefly pitched for the Rockville Express, a team in the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League In 2005, he made nine appearances for the Express, posting a 4.66 ERA, a 1–0 record and earning two saves. Later in the summer of 2005, Smith also pitched for the Edenton Steamers in the Coastal Plain League. In 16 regular season appearances, totaling 17.1 innings, he tallied nine saves with a 2.08 ERA, .197 batting average against, and struck out 19 batters. He also recorded the final out of the 2005 Petitt Cup tournament, on a comebacker, to give Edenton its second consecutive league championship. Less than two years later, Smith became the first Steamers' alumnus to appear in the majors.

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