Fred Smith - Director of Player Development - Baseball Coaches

Fred Smith

Title:
Director of Player Development

Fred Smith completed his second season as the Matadors' director of player development in 2020-21.

A former standout on the Matadors from 2016-17, Smith returned to CSUN as a staff member in 2020. With Smith on the staff, the Matadors have posted a 31-24 overall record including going 10-5 in the shortened 2020 season.

Smith recently served as an infield coach in the Northwoods League for the Waterloo Bucks. He helped the Bucks go 28-13 and win the Minnesota-Iowa Pod championship. The Bucks were first in OPS (.799) and fielding percentage (.977), second in batting average (.286) and home runs (35) and third in RBI (266) and runs (288).

As a player, Smith joined the Matadors as a junior college transfer and would immediately become a key contributor on the team. He played at second base in his junior season and moved over to shortstop as a senior. He played in all 110 games for the Matadors from 2016-17, batting .291 with 134 hits, 65 runs, 48 RBI, 23 walks and 22 doubles to go with a .970 fielding percentage.

In his junior season with the Matadors, Smith occupied the leadoff spot as he finished second in the Big West in hits with 75 while he led the team in batting average (.314). He also registered 10 doubles and drove in 19 runs for the year. Smith was especially difficult to strikeout during the year as he only struck out 22 times in 239 at bats. He began the season in impressive fashion, hitting safely in the first 21 games.

Smith would start every game at shortstop in his senior campaign, totaling 59 hits, 31 runs, 29 RBI, 12 doubles, four home runs and a .267 batting average.

Prior to CSUN, Smith played two seasons at El Camino College as the team's shortstop where he earned first-team all-conference honors each year. Smith also played baseball and football at Redondo Union High School. He earned all-league and all-city honors multiple times with the Redondo Union baseball team and helped the Sea Hawks win a league championship in 2011.