Smith Named International League Pitcher of the Week Following Complete-Game Shutout

INDIANAPOLIS – Minor League Baseball and the Indianapolis Indians today announced that left-handed pitcher Caleb Smith has been named the International League Pitcher of the Week after tossing a 7.0-inning complete-game shutout in Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Toledo.

Smith, 31, pitched the first complete-game shutout in all of minor league baseball this season. The southpaw was one of two pitchers in all of professional baseball to throw a complete-game shutout this week, alongside Double-A Portland’s Chih-Jung Liu.

In his brilliant outing on Wednesday afternoon, he allowed only three baserunners on three hits, striking out five Mud Hens. He became the first Indians pitcher to toss a complete-game shutout since right-hander James Marvel on July 5, 2019 (2) vs. Toledo. It was also Smith’s second career complete-game shutout, following a rain-shortened one-hitter over 7.0 innings on June 18, 2017 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Buffalo.

Smith was signed by Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent on Feb. 12, 2023. He was originally selected by New York (AL) in the 14th round (434th overall) of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Sam Houston State (Huntsville, Texas) University. He is Indianapolis’ third recipient of an IL weekly honor this season following Tucupita Marcano (April 4-9) and Josh Palacios (April 25-30), who both earned IL Player of the Week.