John Smiley was a left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for 12 seasons. He was born on March 17, 1965, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Smiley attended Perkiomen Valley High School in Pennsylvania, where he played baseball and basketball. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round of the 1983 Major League Baseball draft.
Smiley made his Major League debut with the Pirates in 1986. He spent five seasons with the Pirates, where he established himself as a reliable starting pitcher. In 1991, he had his best season with the Pirates, posting a 20-8 record with a 3.08 ERA and 168 strikeouts. He was named to the National League All-Star team and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting.
After the 1992 season, Smiley was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He spent two seasons with the Twins, where he continued to pitch well. In 1994, he had a 16-9 record with a 3.21 ERA and 116 strikeouts. He was named to the American League All-Star team and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting.
Smiley was traded again after the 1995 season, this time to the Cincinnati Reds. He spent two seasons with the Reds, where he struggled with injuries. He was limited to just 11 starts in 1996 and missed the entire 1997 season due to injury.
Smiley attempted a comeback in 1998 with the Cleveland Indians, but he was released during spring training. He retired from baseball shortly thereafter.
In his 12-year career, Smiley had a record of 126-103 with a 3.80 ERA and 1,086 strikeouts. He was named to two All-Star teams and received Cy Young Award votes in three seasons. Smiley was known for his control and his ability to keep the ball in the park, as he allowed just 1.0 home runs per nine innings over his career.
After retiring from baseball, Smiley worked as a pitching coach for several minor league teams. He also worked as a scout for the Washington Nationals. In 2012, he was diagnosed with melanoma and underwent treatment. He passed away on October 12, 2020, at the age of 55.
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