Pavin Smith
Pavin Joe Smith, born February 6, 1996, in Jupiter, Florida, is a left-handed first baseman and right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball. He played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers and was selected seventh overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2017 MLB draft, signing for $5 million. Smith made his MLB debut on September 12, 2020.
As a youth, Smith played for Palm Beach Gardens Community High School, where he starred as a first baseman and pitcher. He drew the attention of scouts after shining in the Babe Ruth League Cal Ripken World Series, helping his team win the title game with two home runs. The Colorado Rockies drafted him in the 32nd round in 2014, but he did not sign and chose to attend Virginia.
At Virginia, Smith dealt with an elbow injury that kept him from pitching in 2015 and required Tommy John surgery after the College World Series. He returned in 2016 and hit eight home runs as a sophomore. He played summer baseball in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners in 2016 and was an All-Star. In 2017, his junior year, he hit .342 with 13 home runs.
The Diamondbacks picked Smith with the seventh overall selection in 2017 and gave him a $5 million signing bonus. He started his pro career with the Hillsboro Hops in the Low-A Northwest League, hitting .318 with 27 RBIs in 51 games and earning a postseason All-Star nod. In 2018 he played for Visalia in the High-A California League, posting 11 home runs and 54 RBIs in 120 games. He also played in the Arizona Fall League after that season. In 2019, Smith advanced to Jackson in the Double-A Southern League, slashing .291/.370/.466 with 12 home runs and 67 RBIs in 123 games.
Smith was added to Arizona’s 40-man roster in September 2020 and made his MLB debut shortly after. He collected his first major league hit on September 12 against the Seattle Mariners and hit his first big-league home run on September 25 off A.J. Ramos of the Colorado Rockies.
In 2021, Smith played 145 games, hitting .267 with a .404 slugging percentage, 11 home runs and 49 RBIs. The next year he appeared in 75 games, batting .220 with nine homers and 33 RBIs. He began 2023 in Reno before returning to Arizona on April 9 and finished the season with 69 games, batting .188 with 7 home runs and 30 RBIs. In 2024 he spent time in Reno, including a game on September 8 in which he hit three home runs against the Astros.
In 2025, Smith appeared in 87 games for Arizona, hitting .258 with a .362 on-base percentage and a .434 slugging percentage, along with eight homers, 28 RBIs and two stolen bases. He went on the injured list on August 29 with a strained left quadriceps and was moved to the 60-day IL on September 5, ending his season.
Off the field, Smith’s father is a sports agent who once represented golfer Corey Pavin, and Pavin is named after him. As a Christmas gift in 2017, Smith paid off his parents’ mortgage. He is married to Amanda Cheney, a former University of Florida gymnast, and they have one daughter.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:52 (CET).