Will Smith vs Will Smith: Which namesake has had a greater MLB career?

William Michael Smith and William Dills Smith may share a name (both known as Will Smith), but their careers in Major League Baseball have taken vastly different paths. While one is a pitcher who has bounced around several teams in his career, the other is a catcher who has become a key player for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Will Smith (Pitcher)

Will Smith pitching for the Astros in 2022

William Michael Smith was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB draft. After making his way through the Angels' farm system, he made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2012. He struggled as a starter that year but transitioned into a relief pitcher the following season.

Smith was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013, where he served as a reliever until he was suspended for eight games in 2015 for having a foreign substance on his right arm during a game.

Smith was then traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2016, where he was diagnosed with possible UCL damage to his left elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery, which ended his 2017 season.

After returning from his surgery, he served as the Giants' closer and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2019. He then played for the Atlanta Braves and was then traded to the Houston Astros in 2022, earning him two World Series Championships in consecutive years.

The Astros declined his option for 2023, and he signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers last week.

Will Smith (catcher)

Will Smith in the 2022 NLDS

In contrast, William Dills Smith was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft and began his professional career with the Ogden Raptors.

He was quickly promoted through the Dodgers' farm system and made his MLB debut in 2019. That year, he hit his first MLB home run, which was a walk-off against Héctor Neris of the Philadelphia Phillies.

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he set a new Dodgers franchise record for most hits in a post-season game and became the first MLB player to face a pitcher of the same name in the postseason, Atlanta Braves pitcher Will Smith.

Smith played in 130 games for the Dodgers in 2021 and hit a new career-high 25 home runs and 76 RBIs, leading the National League with 11 sacrifice flies. In 2022, he played in 137 games, serving as both a catcher and a designated hitter, and had a .260 batting average with 24 home runs and 87 RBIs.

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Despite their different paths, both players have achieved success in MLB. William Michael Smith has won two World Series championships and was named an All-Star in 2019, while William Dills Smith has become a key player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was selected to represent the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.