Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is building a strong case for the Hall of Fame, highlighted by his third World Series title and three All-Star selections. His performance continues to set him apart from other catchers in the National League.
Key points
Will Smith is a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He has won three World Series titles.
Smith has been an All-Star for the last three seasons.
His performance is setting him apart in the National League.
Los Angeles DodgersWill Smith
May 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
May 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgerscatcher Will Smith is having another great season, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic thinks heâs putting together a case to make it into the Hall of Fame.
âIn his most recent list of active players who might be headed to the Hall of Fame, The Athleticâs Jayson Stark included the Dodgersâ Smith for the first time,â Rosenthal wrote. âThat was last July. Smith since has won his third World Series. His quiet case for Cooperstown, befitting for his low-key personality, is only getting stronger.â
Smith is a cut above the rest of the catchers in the National League, comfortably slotting in as the National Leagueâs starting catcher in both of the last two All-Star Games. He has made three Midsummer Classics during his career, all coming in the past three seasons. Additionally, Smith has three World Series titles to his name.
The catcher has 131 homers and 458 RBIs a month into his age-31 season, which is much better pace for Cooperstown than it appears.
Q&A
What achievements are contributing to Will Smith's Hall of Fame case?
Will Smith's Hall of Fame case is bolstered by his three World Series titles and three All-Star selections in recent years.
How many All-Star Games has Will Smith played in?
Will Smith has participated in three All-Star Games, all within the last three seasons.
What position does Will Smith play for the Dodgers?
Will Smith plays as a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Who mentioned Will Smith as a potential Hall of Fame candidate?
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic highlighted Will Smith as a potential Hall of Fame candidate in his recent discussions.
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May 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
May 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
What Would Smith Have to do to Reach the Hall of Fame?
To understand what Smith would have to do to reach the Hall of Fame, we have to look at the accomplishments of another National League catcher who is likely to enter Cooperstown on his first ballot this year: former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey.
Posey played 12 seasons with the Giants, and had a fantastic career in MLB.
He made seven All-Star games, won three World Series as well as the Rookie of the Year and one NL MVP award.
Smith is obviously lacking the Rookie of the Year and MVP, but has equalled Poseyâs World Series total and could very well surpass it in the coming years. Additionally, Smith can realistically reach seven All-Stars with seven years still remaining on his contract after 2026.
How Do Buster Posey and Will Smith Stack Up Statistically?
Smith has played 752 games in his MLB career, which is one fewer than Posey played in his first seven seasons of MLB.
Posey had fantastic numbers through these seven seasons, during which he enjoyed his MVP-winning year as well as all three of his World Series campaigns. He recorded 850 hits, slashing .310/.375/.484 for an .859 OPS. 102 of those hits were home runs, and he also had 447 RBIs. He also had 29 bWAR through those seasons, which is significantly more than Smithâs 23.4.
Smith doesnât have Posey beat in hits, having only 689 to his name so far, and also falls short in terms of his slash line, posting a .264/.358/.473 for an .831 OPS. He does, however, have more homers (131) and RBIs (458).
Posey also had several things Smith doesnât, such as a Gold Glove and five Silver Sluggers.
Smith isnât out of the running at all, though, as he has comparable numbers to Posey and still has his best days ahead of him after a fantastic campaign in 2025.
Do you think Will Smith will be better than Buster Posey when all is said and done? Will he be in the Hall of Fame?
