MLB’s top closer Cade Smith is a bold Christian who says his identity is in Jesus 

The Major League Baseball leader in saves is also a bold Christian who has a Bible verse written on his glove and frequently discusses his faith in interviews, saying his true “identity” is not found in sports.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Cade Smith is enjoying perhaps the best season of his career, leading Major League Baseball with 20 saves while posting a 2.60 ERA in 27 appearances. After breaking into the majors in 2024 as a solid setup reliever, Smith has emerged as one of baseball’s premier closers and a key piece of Cleveland’s bullpen.

His honors include American League Reliever of the Month for May. 

“He has arguably the two best pitches in all of baseball and he knows exactly where they’re going,” Guardians starter Slade Cecconi told The Plain Dealer.

But Smith insists his success on the mound is secondary to something far more important. Asked last season by Guardians TV about his calm demeanor, Smith pointed to his faith.

“The first and most important thing is that I’m confident and certain that my identity is not based in baseball. My identity is based in my faith, and that’s something that can’t be taken from me,” Smith said. “And it can’t be shaped by the highs and lows of this game, whether I go out and perform or whether I fail — because I am going to fail. But the good news is that doesn’t define me, that doesn’t affect who I am, how I am with my family [or] with the guys in the clubhouse.

His identity in Christ, he said, means “I can shake it off, I can learn what I can from each appearance, regardless of the outcome, and then I can move forward and continue to learn from it.”

“So, from that point of view, I think it’s easy to have a calm mentality.”

Smith went viral on social media last season when a video surfaced of him signing autographs near the dugout while discussing 1 Corinthians 6:11, a verse featured prominently on the outside of his glove near the Rawlings logo. In that brief moment, Smith shared the gospel with a group of young fans and their parents. 

“Does anyone know this verse on top of their head?” he asked. “So this is one of my favorite verses, because basically [1 Corinthians 6, verses] 9 and 10 is a statement of universal condemnation. You can ask your parents about that one, but it means everyone sinned — no one’s good enough. You’re not getting to heaven on your own.

“Verse 11 starts, ‘And that’s what you guys were — but you were washed, justified, sanctified by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.’”

Smith told fans the verse gives him great comfort.

“And so regardless of how any outing goes — up or down, if I succeed or I struggle, or I do really bad — I know that I’m not actually a pitcher,” Smith said. “I’m washed, I’m justified, I’m sanctified. And those are things no one can take from you.”

Smith and the Guardians currently lead the American League Central standings.

(Image credit: Screenshot/X/FOX Sports: MLB)