Years before he ever stepped foot on John Smith Field, junior infielder JP Smith was combining his passion for baseball with his love for his community at his local church.
Smith started a feeding for the homeless event, bringing his baseball teams to the event whenever he could to participate with him.
“It was something important for him to have each one of his teams come out and feed, so it has been a good thing for him and the community,” Ena Smith, JP Smith’s mother, said.
Smith has carried a love for his community with him throughout his baseball career. Beyond his church, into a community of African American baseball players, he discovered early in life through a youth travel ball team with a goal of growing the community.
Every year the first baseman returns to the team to teach the next generation of African American baseball players what it takes to make it.
When he joined the Granite Bay Grizzlies in high school, Smith wasn’t aware of the impact being one of the only two African Americans would have on him – an aspect of baseball that would affect him going into his career as a Division I baseball player.
“I honestly hope more kids like myself can get into sports like baseball,” Smith said.
According to the NCAA, 6% of student-athletes playing Division I baseball identify as African American.
“To be able to give back to my community, especially promote the game of baseball to my community, is something I value,” Smith said.
Smith continues a tradition of veteran players of the Sacramento-based travel ball team, the Admirals, giving back to the team they used to play for.
“To me, that was the best thing he could have done when he was younger,” Ena Smith said about him joining the Admirals.
The Admirals require all participants to maintain a 3.0 GPA and perform in volunteer events, something Ena Smith said helped build character traits that baseball didn’t.
“Besides baseball, you have to be good in school, a good person, a good human being. It’s something that organization believes in,” Ena Smith said. “Not just being a baseball player. How are you outside of baseball?”
Smith said the coach of the Admirals made it a point to grow the game in the African American community, something Smith hopes he can continue in his career.
“Once I changed organizations to the team, there were more of us. It was kind of our coach’s main point to just get more of us in the game of baseball. It was a huge part of him,” Smith said. “My best friends have come from that team.”
Ena Smith believes that while her son’s race has never been an issue on any given team, even if it had been his skills on the field would have paved a path towards acceptance.
“As far as being an African American player, there’s not many of those,” Ena Smith said. “The blessing has been every team that he’s played with it has never been an issue. They’ve always been accepting of him because his talent has made a way for them to accept him.”
In his third season as a Hornet, Smith broke the program career home run record with 38 home runs and counting, has been named to the Western Athletic Conference All-American team three times and continues as the starting first baseman in his junior year.
Smith said that his success hasn’t prevented him from seeing the role he holds as an African American in a sport that rarely sees kids like him be successful. He said he hopes what he’s done will help the next generation of African American players.
“Honestly, being African American in a predominantly white sport is something that doesn’t often happen, the success, you could get blinded,” Smith said.
Community is important for Smith, something he learned from his teams and family.
Smith’s dad, JP Smith Sr. and Ena Smith can be found in the stands, cowbell in hand, cheering on the Hornets and their son no matter what game you choose to attend, home or away.
“We make a point to be at every game, and he looks for us to be at every game,” Ena Smith said. “It was important for us and for him, to go to a school so close that we would be able to attend every game.”
Smith’s parents have been an everyday feature in the stands since he started out. No matter what level he’s played, they’ve always cheered him on.
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“That’s been the thing with me, and little J, his whole life I’ve attended every game,” JP Smith Sr. said. “I have no choice, I’ve been to every game he’s had since he’s been a little guy.”
Smith’s love for the game can be traced back to his dad’s athletic history. He said his dad’s experiences as an athlete growing up and a few of his dad’s friends being ex-Major League Baseball players helped him realize baseball was what he wanted to do.
Smith shares more than just a name with his father, who he considers more than a dad, but a mentor and a best friend.
“I talk to him every day, anytime, about anything baseball-related, life-related, I’m just able to talk to him whenever I need him. I’m so blessed to have a dad as close as I am,” Smith said.
Smith said the bond he shares with his mom and dad fueled his decision to attend Sac State.
“Being able to play Division I baseball in my backyard was also one of the dopest decisions I’ve ever had a chance to make,” Smith said. “It’s just a no-brainer to be able to do it.”
Despite the success, Smith described himself as a quiet kid since he and his dad first started playing baseball together.
“All the kids I grew up with, they were just starting to become that guy,” Smith said. “I just was kind of the kid who just kept my mouth shut and kept working with my dad.”
That changed over this offseason when Smith played for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League, where he said he had a realization about himself.
“Getting to hang around guys that are Power Five guys, guys that are MLB top-100 prospects,” Smith said. “We put on the same clothes every day. We work our butts off the same way, there’s just not much of a difference.”
The Granite Bay High School alumnus chose to become a Hornet in part because of Sac State head coach Reggie Christiansen. Since Christiansen took over as head coach in 2011, 24 Hornets have gone on to be drafted to the MLB and Smith said his proven track record enticed him to join in.
”Obviously Reggie’s winning history, and just knowing the guys he’s brought up was a huge standout,” Smith said.
Smith has proven he made the right choice. Aside from the career home run record, he was named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Team, the All-WAC First Team in 2023 and again named to the All-WAC Second Team in 2024.
“He’s a great kid,” Christiansen said. “He’s worked extremely hard. He’s improved each year he’s been here, he cares about winning and is certainly a guy that I really enjoy coaching.”
When the junior’s career ends at Sac State, his legacy won’t just be home runs. For the people who know Smith, it will be the contributions he made off the field.
“Baseball is a huge part of who he is, but outside of baseball he’s an awesome person. He’s a loving person, a giving person, a kind person,” Ena Smith said. “He’s a great person. I’m not just saying it as a mom.”
