5 Rangers on Thin Ice This Offseason
By Tyler Maher
3. Josh H. Smith
Josh H. Smith has only spent two seasons in the majors so far, but both of them have been extremely underwhelming.
As a rookie in 2022, the former second-round draft pick slashed just .197/.307/.249 with more strikeouts (50) than hits (43), clearly looking overmatched in his first taste of big-league pitching.
The Rangers were looking for improvement from him in 2023, but unfortunately he continued to disappoint. Smith showed a bit more pop but whiffed even more frequently, batting .185/.304/.328 with 55 strikeouts against 36 hits.
While his defensive versatility is a plus, Smith simply isn't making enough contact to merit regular playing time in the majors. His fielding is solid, but he's not a big stolen base threat (only 5 career steals) and is a total bust at the plate.
Smith is 26, so Texas can probably afford to give him one more chance this year. If his offensive woes continue, however, the front office must replace him with someone who can actually hit. You can't afford a black hole like that in your lineup when you're trying to win games.