Lost amidst the NFL Draft, NBA and NHL playoffs and a regular season schedule of games for Major League Baseball was news that one of the top prospects in the game has been promoted.
The Texas Rangers have demoted 1B/DH Chris Davis and called up Justin Smoak. Smoak, the 11th overall selection in the 2008 draft, is among the top prospects in not just the Rangers organization, but all of baseball. Last year he jumped from A to Double-A to Triple-A in his first professional season, and destroyed the ball everywhere he went.
Across three levels of minor league ball in 2009, Smoak had a .410 OBP and .853 SLG, with 12 home runs, 57 RBI and 171 total bases in 106 games.
With Davis being demoted, it could signal his time in Texas coming to a close. If Smoak produces in Arlington the way he has at North Carolina and three levels of minor league ball, he'll be in a Rangers uniform for a long time.
