Senior Jagger Smith is tall at 6-3 and a left-handed pitcher-two commodities that are apparently rare in southeastern Oklahoma according to Broken Bow baseball coach Kraig Sundberg.
“We don’t get many tall, wrong-handed people down here,” Sundberg joked. “He’s a hard worker and has played travel ball for the last two years on a team out of Seminole so he’s gotten a lot of experience and exposure to college coaches. He’s a good student and good example for the younger kids.”
In addition to baseball Smith is also a solid rebounder on the Savages basketball team and shoots trap for FFA. Last year was his first as a starter and he hit around .300 and was 7-2 on the mound including a no-hitter against Ripley.
“I’ve been playing baseball since I was four or five and my friends were playing and got me to come out. I really fell in love with the game the first summer I got into travel ball around 11 and we played almost every weekend for three years,” said Smith.
As a senior leader this year, Jagger knows the importance of communication to be an effective leader.
“I’m probably more of an encourager but I know that sometimes I need to be more vocal especially
with the younger kids while also setting a good example both in and out of athletics.”
His parents are both major influences in his life and active in his sports with his mom serving as president of the baseball booster club. His role model is another tall, rangy left-hander.
“I follow Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. He’s got a big curve and that’s also my best pitch,” said Jagger.
With just about all of the starters back from last year, Smith and Sundberg, who moved up from an assistant this year, are hopeful of a good season. Jagger hopes to play college baseball and has had
some discussions with Seminole State and some schools in Kansas and thinks wherever he goes he’ll study sports medicine. When he leaves Broken Bow, Jagger knows what he would like his legacy to be.
“I’d like to be remembered as a person that was always nice to everybody and always had a smile on my face.”
In his spare time, Jagger likes to hunt and fish and hang with his girlfriend.