Quick Hitters with Canaan Smith-Njigba
After appearing in seven Triple-A games in 2021, up-and-coming Pirates prospect Canaan Smith-Njigba will look to make an impact this season with Indianapolis. We sat down with the 22-year-old outfielder to talk about his life in baseball, both on and off the field.
After appearing in seven Triple-A games in 2021, up-and-coming Pirates prospect Canaan Smith-Njigba will look to make an impact this season with Indianapolis. We sat down with the 22-year-old outfielder to talk about his life in baseball, both on and off the field.
Q: Who is your favorite baseball player of all time?
A: Growing up my favorite player would be David Ortiz, and now my favorite current players are Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper.
Q: What is your favorite baseball memory?
A: Hitting for the cycle on Mother’s Day, which was also my dad’s birthday. It was special doing something for them, and it was my first cycle in pro ball.
Q: What is it like advancing through the Pirates farm system and playing alongside lots of talented prospects?
A: It’s incredible seeing guys around my age who are playing in the big leagues and performing well. It motivates me to get to where they are at, and that is where I want to go. It’s nice having guys around with the same goals and who I’ve played with since rookie ball.
Q: For the fans who aren’t familiar with you yet, how would you describe your game in one sentence?
A: I try to be entertaining for the fans.
Q: Would you rather hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth or throw out the game-tying runner at home from the outfield to win the game?
A: I would definitely rather hit a walk-off home run, I think it would be electric.
Q: What is your favorite ballpark food?
A: I liked the Curve Burgers in Altoona, they lived up to the name. My choices would be Curve Burgers and popcorn.
Q: Which teammate has the best sense of humor?
A: Rodolfo Castro. He’s special, always energized and is a spark plug.
Q: Which of your teammates is the best dressed?
A: I’ll give you the top 5. No. 1 Oneil Cruz, No. 2 myself, No. 3 Roansy Contreras, No. 4 Jack Suwinski and No. 5 Matt Fraizer.
Q: What is your main goal for the 2022 season?
A: I just want to enjoy the process and have fun. I want to continue to enjoy the grind and find a way to get better each day.