Wrigley Field Insider

Alex Smith ’15 was 23 years old when he received his first World Series ring, and the former Cornell relief pitcher did it without throwing a pitch.

 

Smith moved from the Big Red bullpen to the Chicago Cubs’ front office in 2015 when he started as a baseball operations intern. Thanks to an ILR credit internship, Smith finished his last Cornell semester working for the Cubs.

 

In October 2016, after Smith was hired as a baseball operations assistant, the Cubs won their first World Series since 1908, beating the Cleveland Indians in a Game 7 thriller.

 

“It was nerve-racking and exciting, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said.

 

His fondest World Series memory is a personal one. “I was standing on the field with my father after Game 7, and there was not much we had to say to each other,” he said. “We appreciated the magnitude of the moment.” Scott Smith ’79, Alex’s father, is also an ILR graduate.

 

Smith said working in baseball operations has been a great way to start his professional life. He’s had the opportunity to work across many areas of the industry, including Major League operations, professional scouting, player development, and research and development. The ILR curriculum focus on collective bargaining played an integral role in launching his career.

 

“Coming out of ILR, I had a head start on other recent graduates,” he said. “It was definitely unique and invaluable to learn about baseball arbitration and the collective bargaining process directly in my coursework.”

 

Smith, a relief pitcher for three seasons at Cornell, including the 2012 Ivy League Championship season, said team camaraderie encouraged him to stay in baseball, and the career choice has proven a great fit.

 

“Every day brings a new challenge, whether it’s trying to predict player performance, figuring out new ways to help athletes improve or evaluating different roster construction strategies,” said Smith, now 24. “This is a special opportunity I don’t take for granted.”