ALL-STAR PITCHER TUCKER SMITH IS BACK WITH THE AIGLES
Trois-Rivières Aigles manager Matthew Rusch has reached an agreement to return his All-Star pitcher Tucker Smith for the 2024 season!
Last year, the 26-year-old right-hander was the mainstay of the Birds' starting rotation. In 18 starts and 113.1 innings of work, he maintained a 3.89 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He also maintained an excellent ratio of 85 strikeouts to just 15 walks.
By virtue of his brilliance on the mound in 2023, Smith even saw his contract bought out, in the final stretch of the Frontier League regular season, by the Wei Chuan Dragons of the Chinese Professional League.
"I'm very happy to have Tucker Smith back with the Aigles. He had several offers on the table and he chose to come back to Trois-Rivières thanks to the quality of the organization and also because of the team we are building," said Matthew Rusch, obviously very happy to be able to see this familiar face on his chessboard.
"He's obviously going to be one of the aces in our rotation. He has just won a championship in Australia, so he is in great shape to start the season. He's even improved his speed a little bit, so I'm expecting quality starts from him all season," added the manager.
Smith first arrived in the Trois-Rivières entourage at the end of the 2022 season when he was smoking hot with a 2.23 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work.
Prior to that, Smith played four seasons at Georgia Southwestn State University before playing in the American Association with Houston and Lincoln. Since 2022, he has also spent his winters in Australia while wearing the uniform of the Perth Heat.
Smith's signing joins outfielders Louis-Philippe Pelletier and Rodrigo Orozco, infielders Dalton Combs, Brendon Dadson, Brandon Hernandez and Edouard Savoie, and pitchers Osman Gutierrez, Didier Vargas, Logan Hofmann, Hernando Mejia, Michell Miliano, Kosei Naito and Angel Obando. Receiver Willie Estrada also joined the group in a trade.
The Aigles will begin their 11th season history – their 3rd in the Frontier League – on May 10, 2024 when they visit the Sussex County Miners. As for the home opener at Stade Quillorama, it is scheduled for Friday, May 17, against the newest team in the circuit, the New England Knockouts.
