Justin Smoak
| Justin Smoak | |||
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Smoak with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015
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| Toronto Blue Jays – No. 14 | |||
| First baseman | |||
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Born: December 5, 1986 Goose Creek, South Carolina |
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 23, 2010, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2016 season) |
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| Batting average | .223 | ||
| Hits | 571 | ||
| Home runs | 106 | ||
| Runs batted in | 327 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Medal record | ||
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| Men’s baseball | ||
Representing  United States
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| Baseball World Cup | ||
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2009 Nettuno | National team |
| Pan American Games | ||
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2007 Rio de Janeiro | National team |
Justin Kyle Smoak (born December 5, 1986) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his debut with the Texas Rangers in 2010, and was traded to the Seattle Mariners during the 2010 season. Prior to his professional career, Smoak played baseball for Stratford High School and the University of South Carolina.
Smoak graduated from Stratford High School in 2005. Smoak played four years of varsity high school baseball under coach John Chalus. It wasn't until his junior year in high school that scouts began to notice his talent because they were originally scouting his teammate and friend Matt Wieters. However, Smoak soon made his presence known among scouts. He was named by ABCA, Baseball America, and Collegiate Baseball as a 2005 high school All-American. He was also one of 36 high school players in the nation to play in the 2005 high school All-American baseball game, named South Carolina AAAA Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, named co-Mr. Baseball for 2005 in South Carolina (alongside Gamecock teammate Reese Havens), made the 2004 and 2005 South Carolina AAAA All-State team, and a member of the 2005 South Carolina AAAA state championship team while with the Stratford Knights. He was initially drafted by the Oakland Athletics as a sixteenth-round pick in 2005 upon graduation, but instead attended the University of South Carolina.
Smoak went on to play college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks. In his three years playing for South Carolina, Smoak consistently put up big numbers. After batting .303 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI, Smoak earned Freshman All-American honors. He followed up with a .315 batting average, 22 home runs, and 72 RBI in his sophomore year, good enough to be tabbed as a third-team All-American. For his junior year, Smoak batted .383, with 23 home runs and 72 RBI. Smoak is South Carolina's all-time home run king with 62, breaking Hank Small's record of 48, which stood for over 30 years. Smoak is also South Carolina's career leader in RBIs and walks.
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