MiLB Player of the Day: Brayden Smith

The Cardinal Chronicle
Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Brayden Smith
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Brayden Smith gave Palm Beach the offensive spark it needed Saturday night.

Smith is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Cardinals’ 7-4 win over St. Lucie at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

His final line: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

That is a strong night from the middle of the lineup, and it came in a game Palm Beach needed to have.

The Cardinals entered the night chasing Daytona in the Florida State League East second-half race, and Smith helped make sure they stayed right on the Tortugas’ heels. With the win, Palm Beach improved to 13-9 in the second half, sitting just a half-game back of first place.

Smith’s home run was his eighth of the season, and it was part of a productive night where he reached three times, drove in two runs and scored twice. He lifted his average to .251 and his OPS to .794, giving Palm Beach another important bat in a lineup trying to keep pace down the stretch.

The Cardinals jumped out quickly with three runs in the first inning, then added another in the third and three more in the fourth. That early pressure gave the pitching staff room to work, and Smith was right in the middle of the attack.

He was not alone.

Sebastian Dos Santos also homered, driving in two runs and scoring twice. Ryan Weingartner singled, walked and stole his 28th base. Yordalin Peña doubled, and Alex Birge reached base twice with a hit and a walk.

But Smith gets the headline because his bat delivered the best overall offensive performance of the night.

There is something valuable about a hitter who can change the game without needing five plate appearances to do it. Smith collected three hits, left the yard, drove in runs and helped Palm Beach build the kind of lead it could protect.

That matters even more in July, when the standings start becoming part of the development story.

At Low-A, the goal is still player growth. That does not change. But when a club is sitting a half-game out of first place in the second half, these performances carry a little extra weight. Young players get a chance to learn how to produce when the games matter, and Smith did exactly that Saturday night.

Palm Beach got strong length from Andrew Dutkanych IV out of the bullpen, and Nathan Shinn helped finish the game. But the offense set the tone early, and Smith helped lead the way.

Three hits.
A home run.
Two RBIs.
Two runs scored.
A win that kept Palm Beach right in the race.

That earns the spotlight.

Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day:
Brayden Smith, DH, Palm Beach Cardinals
Final Line: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Brayden Smith, Palm Beach Cardinals | MiLB