On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that 29-year-old Dodgers Catcher Will Smith had agreed to a 10-year/$140 million contract extension that will keep him in the beloved Dodger Blue through the 2033 season.

The Louisville, Kentucky native Smith bats with impressive power with a .263 career batting average, a .358 career on-base percentage, and 91 career home runs as he begins his sixth seasons with the Dodgers.

There are some, many, in fact, who have compared the Dodgers 2020 World Series champion with three-time World Series champion, five-time Silver Slugger, 2012 MLB MVP, former Gold Glove San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. Although not the pure slugger that seven-time All-Star Posey was, much like the future Hall of Famer, Smith also has a knack for consistently delivering clutch hits, especially with runners in scoring position.

Smith, an All-Star in 2023 and who celebrated his 29th birthday on Thursday, is still a young player, but he is quickly evolving into a strong leader, as was Posey with the Giants. But Smith may have the edge over Posey in his leadership abilities. Smith is already a respected leader in the Dodgers clubhouse and quickly becoming one of MLB’s most respected players. With his talent and leadership, Smith has the potential to join Posey as one of the greatest catchers in MLB history.

“I feel like I am (a leader),” Smith answered, when asked about his leadership skills. “I think it’s all of the above. It’s being a consistent player. Performing well obviously helps, but just being a consistent clubhouse guy every day. Not getting too high, not getting too low. Showing you’re willing to help any and everybody. Being there for whoever needs it. Picking guys up when they need it. Making sure guys are in line. Not forcing anything, but that’s leadership. Making sure everyone’s under one goal. It’s good to have several guys who can do that in several different ways.”

Smith’s dedication to his team and willingness to go above and beyond for his teammates are two of the many qualities that make him a great leader. Only time will tell if Smith will be remembered as one of the great catchers in baseball history. However, he has already shown the potential for doing exactly that.

With his talent, his leadership, and his dedication, Will Smith may one day join Buster Posey in the sacred Halls of Cooperstown.

Let’s Play Ball!

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