Relative to other major league franchises, the Dodgers have been historically blessed at two positions: pitching and catching. From Roy Campanella in the 1950s to the early career of Mike Piazza in the 1990s, to right this very moment in Will Smith, the Dodgers boast an impressive lineage of backstops.
Smith announced his presence with authority after his midseason call-up in 2019, then quietly became one of the best catchers in baseball. Despite putting up above-average offensive numbers every year, he finally earned his first All-Star appearance in 2023.
In addition to his stellar bat, Smith has steadily improved his defensive game year after year. Early in his career, he struggled with framing and blocking pitches. That has greatly improved to the point that he’s widely considered one of the best all-around catchers in baseball.
Recently on MLB Network Radio, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann commented on Smith and his work ethic,
He’s super conscious of what he wants to work on and when he wants to do it. Catching every single day in the big leagues is brutal, brutal on your body to stay strong throughout the year. But I think he does a really nice job of isolating his time on what he needs to do on a day in, day out basis.
To his credit, he’s super open to continue to get better and not really being stale in what he’s at or where he’s at right now.
Danny Lehman on MLB Network Radio
How Will Smith can improve
That second sentence by Lehmann rings especially true for the Dodgers’ catcher. The lineup performs best with Smith in it, but he’s not always available. In 2023, Smith ranked 11th in Major League Baseball in innings caught with 126. That number would have been higher if not for an early-season concussion, but it’s a given in any year that the Dodgers’ front office will be careful with how often Smith catches.
Another concern: Smith’s production at the plate has historically fallen late in the season, further echoing Lehmann’s statement. Smith’s OPS dropped nearly 200 points from .889 in the first half of last year to .701 in the second half.
Injuries aside, the beating a catcher’s body takes seems to affect Smith at the plate. Call it luck or just much-needed rest, the 28-year-old was one of the few Dodgers who produced anything during the 2023 NLDS, following a dubious 5-day break before the first round. He slashed .417/.417/.667 in those three games against the Diamondbacks.
Fortunately, according to Lehmann, it appears Smith is willing to put in the work to continue to get better. Dodger fans believe Smith’s best baseball is ahead of him. If true, he could have a monster year sandwiched in a lineup between two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and silver-hammer-swinging Max Muncy.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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