COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On the recruiting trail, Ohio State head coach Greg Beals went out to take a look at a left-handed pitcher from Cincinnati.
Although he wasn’t highly-recruited, Griffan Smith was a four-year letterwinner at Cincinnati Christian Hills Academy and led the Eagles to the state semifinals his senior year in 2017 behind a 13-strikeout perfect game in the first round of the playoffs.
Beals said he saw something he liked - something intangible - and four years later, Smith has become an integral piece of the Ohio State roster.
Smith was named one of three Buckeyes captains for the 2021 season, alongside redshirt-junior left-handed pitcher Seth Lonsway and redshirt-senior first baseman Conner Pohl, on Monday. Smith said Tuesday that he’s incredibly grateful for the recognition, and it has him all the more amped up to return to the pitcher’s mound.
“Dream come true, honestly,” Smith said. “It’s by far the greatest honor I’ve ever received. It gives me the confidence to go out there and continue to be my best self every single day.”
Smith said he’s grown a lot physically over the last three seasons, calling himself a “late-bloomer” when he arrived at Ohio State. His current 6-foot-2 frame has pitched Smith to a 9-8 record and career-4.59 earned run average through 49 games as a Buckeye.
Despite the numbers and results, Smith credited a different aspect of baseball where he’s had the most growth.
“I think my biggest area of growth has been my mental side of the game,” Smith said. “Learning how to go out there and have full confidence in my ability and stuff, and go out there and pitch with conviction. As a pitcher, that’s been the biggest thing for me.”
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Smith has had opportunity to display his conviction on the mound, notably in his start against Nebraska during the Big Ten Tournament championship game on May 26, 2019, when he held the Huskers to one unearned-run across two hits and six strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.
It’s been a long journey for Smith, and it’s come with a lot of self-driven improvement and dedication to getting better.
“He’s grown up; he’s physically matured and done a lot for himself, and that’s kind of what I was betting on was his ability to take the resources we have at this institution and really take advantage of all the things we have,” Beals said. “Griffan Smith has done that. I’m very, very proud of him.”
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Smith said one thing he’s still learning is how he can best push his teammates to play up to their skill sets, extrapolating their commitment and translating it on the field.
“I think that’s what leadership is all about; the greatest leaders are able to inspire and push the people around them to become the best version of themselves,” Smith said. “I think that’s something I’ve been working on and learning it’s not all about me, it’s about my teammates. It’s been a fun ride.”
In just four appearances during the abbreviated 2020 season, Smith pitched to a 2.75 ERA, which was best among pitchers with more than one start. The then-junior also added 16 strikeouts and walked five in 16.1 IP.
Smith said he’s “chomping at the bit” to get his senior season underway. He'll be expected to contribute out of Ohio State's starting rotation alongside Lonsway and junior righty Garrett Burhenn.
Despite no Big Ten Tournament held at the end of this season and a full, 44-game conference-only schedule that begins with Illinois on Friday, Smith still has an ambitious goal for the Buckeyes.
“I want to make it to Omaha,” Smith said. “I think we all feel the same way. Everyone on this team knows we have the talent this year and the ability and leadership, not just from a captain standpoint, but from the entire team.”
