Louisville baseball alumni: Will Smith and Bobby Miller play pitch and catch in the big leagues

For the first time ever, two former Louisville baseball players shared in the spotlight last night for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Former Louisville pitcher Bobby Miller and former Louisville catcher Will Smith were the first Louisville duo ever to be battery mates.

Bobby Miller, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. According to MLB.com, Miller is the Dodgers’ No. 2 overall prospect in their system.

Drafted in 2020, he did not play in the minor leagues that season due to the COVID pandemic. So, it wasn’t until 2021 that he made an on-field appearance for the organization. He made his debut for the Great Lakes Loons, the High-A affiliate of the Dodgers on May 5, 2021, and struck out five batters.

He was promoted to the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers in September 2021 and was then promoted to the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Triple-A affiliate, in 2023. After his fourth AAA start, the Los Angeles Dodgers purchased his contract, setting his MLB debut for yesterday against the Atlanta Braves.

Miller was called up partially because Dodgers’ ace Dustin May went down with an injury. So, Bobby Miller came in and threw heat, leading the powerhouse blue LA team to an easy 8-1 win. Not only was it his MLB debut, but he also made history by sharing the field with another former Louisville alumni, Will Smith.

Will Smith has been the catcher for the Dodgers since 2019. He was drafted by Los Angeles with the 32nd overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. He, like Bobby Miller, climbed his way through the ranks of minor-league baseball. Smith began his career with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer Baseball League but was quickly promoted to the Great Lakes Loons.

Making stops on the Tulsa Drillers and the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Will Smith made his MLB debut on May 28, 2019. Joining the team in 2019 means that he was a member of the Dodgers when they won the World Series in 2020. In Game 2 of the World Series, he actually cracked a home run.

His professional resume continues to build as a 28-year-old, and now he can say he was one of the two first-ever Louisville battery mates. A very special moment that was also enjoyed by Louisville Athletic Director Josh Heird and Louisville Head Baseball Coach Dan McDonnell.

En route to an 8-1 win, Bobby Miller struck out five batters in five innings pitched and finished with a 1.80 ERA. Not a bad day for two former first-round picks from Louisville. One of the most special pieces from last night’s victory was Bobby Miller’s post-game interview where he mentioned that he puts his full trust in Will and said that he didn’t shake him off once the whole time he was in the game.

All in all, it was a very nostalgic night for Louisville baseball fans in Atlanta. A very uplifting story after a disappointing end to Louisville baseball’s season.