Blue Jays Turn 23-Year-Old Into 2-Way Player

Minor league outfielder Austin Smith will now pitch and hit for Toronto's affiliate.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:21am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball player in the act of both batting and pitching, with sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant blue and red colors.A unique two-way talent emerges in the Blue Jays' minor league system, blending the distinct skills of hitting and pitching into a single player.Dunedin Today

The Toronto Blue Jays are experimenting with turning 23-year-old minor league outfielder Austin Smith into a two-way player who can both hit and pitch. Smith, a 10th round draft pick in 2025 out of the University of San Diego, had success as a two-way player in college and the Blue Jays are now giving him a chance to do the same in their farm system.

Why it matters

Having a true two-way player at the MLB level is extremely rare, with Shohei Ohtani being one of the only recent examples. If Smith can prove he can hit and pitch at a high level, it could give the Blue Jays a unique weapon and something for fans to get excited about in their minor league system.

The details

Smith made his professional pitching debut on Thursday for the Blue Jays' Single-A affiliate in Dunedin, Florida. Prior to this, he had been playing solely as an outfielder, hitting .261 with a .779 OPS. In college, Smith was a finalist for the John Olerud Award, given to the best two-way player in Division I baseball, after batting .305 with 20 home runs and posting a 4.12 ERA in 53 pitching appearances.

  • Smith was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 10th round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
  • Smith made his professional pitching debut on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Austin Smith

A 23-year-old minor league outfielder in the Toronto Blue Jays organization who is being converted into a two-way player, able to both hit and pitch.

Shohei Ohtani

One of the only recent examples of a true two-way player at the MLB level, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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What they’re saying

“I take what I can do as something special and I'm super excited to go out and do it today.”

— Austin Smith, Blue Jays Minor Leaguer

What’s next

The Blue Jays will continue to monitor Smith's progress as he attempts to develop into a two-way player, with the ultimate goal of potentially bringing that unique skillset to the major league level.

The takeaway

The Blue Jays' experiment with Austin Smith represents a fascinating attempt to uncover a true two-way talent in the mold of Shohei Ohtani. If Smith can prove he can hit and pitch at a high level, it could give Toronto a valuable weapon and something for their fans to get excited about in the years to come.