Benjamin Smith (South Africa)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.

• Born November 30, 1987

Biographical Information

Benjamin Smith made his South African national team debut in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, starting in center field and hitting 9th in the opener. He was 0 for 4 and drew a walk from Blair Johnstone in a win over New Zealand. He finished the event 0 for 8 with two walks. He was with South Africa when they won the 2019 Africa Cup Baseball Championship. He hit .538/.684/.769 with 8 runs, 9 RBI and 5 walks in 4 games as their main center fielder. He tied Youssouf Kafando and Tanya Hungwe for 7th in runs in the event, made the top 10 in average, was 8th in slugging (between Bernard Okello and Charl Cordier), tied Shepherd Sibanda for 3rd in RBI (one behind Cordier and MVP Kyle Botha), tied for 4th in walks (with Botha, Brandon Bouillon and Justine Maxisim), tied Paul Wafula for 5th in OBP and was 7th in OPS (between Wafula and Okello).

In the 2019 Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier, he was 1 for 10 with two walks, a run and a RBI for South Africa, while handling 10 chances in center error-free. He got his hit off Ricardo Hernández.