By Rick Assad
Ask Kyle Smith to play pretty much any position on a baseball field and he’ll say which one and stand out while doing so.
As a three-year varsity player on the Burroughs High team, Smith toiled behind the plate, on the mound and shortstop early on.
“I felt the most comfortable playing pitcher because I knew I could dominate every time I stepped on that mound,” he said after allowing just five earned runs with a 0.89 earned-run average and 51 strikeouts during his senior season as the Bears went 20-8 overall and 10-4 for third place in the Pacific League.
Smith was on the hill the last time Burroughs took the field in a CIF Southern Section first-round Division IV game versus Ganesha, the eventual division champions.
That Friday afternoon in May, Smith, who will play baseball for Division III Whittier College and major in Business Management, surrendered two runs but didn’t get much offensive support as the visitors lost 2-0.
“The game against Ganesha was a tough pill to swallow. They hit a home run in the first inning after a missed strike call, but I had to let that go over my head,” he said. “I think I did exceptionally well considering the amount of talent they have.”
Smith talked about the Bears’ hitting that day.
“My offense was putting together decent swings, but just couldn’t find holes in their infield,” he recalled. “I know we could’ve won that game if we just had a little more spark going. I located [my pitches] very well and had a great defense behind me.”
Matt Magallon has been the Burroughs coach for six years and loves what Smith, who was All-Pacific League second team and the Burroughs Pitcher of the Year, brought to the team in terms of skill and willingness to make the team better.
“Kyle was a great three-year starter that grew so much as a player,” he said. “The first two years we asked him to catch and last year we needed him to pitch, and he filled that role perfectly.”
Magallon envisions a bright future for Smith at the collegiate level.
“I’m excited for his next journey at Whittier,” he said. “I know he will build on what he did with us and be a great asset for them on the mound and in the clubhouse.”
Smith, who was also named Burroughs Defensive Player of the Year, was a quick worker on the mound and usually found success.
“The pace I liked was usually the faster pace,” he said. “I didn’t like being on the mound for too long because I wanted my offense to have a lot of time to work.”
Whether Smith faced the top teams in the league like Arcadia and Crescenta Valley or the cellar dwellers, his effort and concentration was the same.
“I approached every game the same no matter the team,” he explained. “I always told myself before I stepped on the mound that “these are kids just like you” and that helped me realize I can be better than them.”
There are physical gifts and there are mental qualities that can assist any athlete.
“I think I was successful on the field because I had the mentality that no one is better than me and the confidence to tell myself I will be great,” he said. “Baseball has taught me to be mentally tough and to not show your weak spots. This game will destroy you if you let your weak spots come out and show.”
Even though Smith’s prep career has come and gone, he didn’t let stumbling blocks keep him from excelling.
“To me bouncing back from a loss wasn’t hard,” he explained. “I knew if I did what I had to, then it was a win for me. If the result was a loss, then I just move on to next week.”
Smith felt comfortable from the start of his high school career and that’s helped him play without as much pressure.
“I knew since the summer of 2021 when I played in Arizona with coach Matt how Burroughs would go. I was ready to learn and win ball games every time I stepped onto that field,” he noted. “My first year when they won CIF [2022] showed me that anything can be possible. I set high standards for myself and the team after that year because I wanted to win.”
When Smith took the hill and his younger brother Jack was catching, it was a nearly perfect battery for each.
“Throwing to Jack was amazing. They always say catcher-pitcher duos have the best chemistry because they’re always together. But me and Jack had something different because we literally live together,” he explained. “We would talk constantly about my pitches or his framing or even other random stuff. I think that helped me even better knowing he’s very used to my pitches and command so he knows how to handle everything.”
Gazing back through experience, Smith has garnered keen knowledge and insight into himself, and it will benefit him in the future.
“Looking back at my career the biggest thing that stands out is how much it’s changed,” he said. “I came into Burroughs as a shortstop my freshman year, moved to catcher that same year, stuck with catcher until my junior year, and then became a pitcher my senior year.”
Time is precious and it’s especially so during one’s formative years.
“What I’ll remember most about Burroughs is the brotherhood I built with my teammates,” he explained. “Some of my teammates and ex-teammates are the closest friends I have today. They will always be included in my life somehow.”
