Ryan Smoot '19 returned to his alma mater in July 2024 as the assistant coach of the VMI Baseball team.
Before returning to Lexington, Smoot spent two seasons at Winthrop, serving as the assistant coach and working specifically with hitters and catchers. He helped the Eagles to a top-three finish in both the Big South Regular Season and Conference Tournament. In 2024, the Eagles' offense saw significant improvements in power despite fielding one of the youngest line-ups in the country. Overall, Winthrop hitters saw increases in home runs (second most in the BBCOR era), doubles, and slugging percentage, and set a school record for hit-by-pitches (86). Smoot coached players like Brody Hopkins, who was drafted in the sixth round of the MLB Draft in July 2023 by the Seattle Mariners.
Before Winthrop, Smoot spent two and a half years at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., working with the Mountaineers’ catchers, and assisting with hitters and baserunners. While at App State, Mountaineer catchers consistently performed at the top of the Sun Belt Conference in all defensive statistics (passed balls per game, wild pitches per game, caught stealing percentage, and fielding percentage). Smoot was also a part of App State’s best Sun Belt Conference record in school history in 2021, and the best two finishes in school history at the Conference Tournament in 2021 & 2022.
While in Boone, Smoot managed the Boone Bigfoots, currently in the Coastal Plains League. In the first two seasons in the organization’s history, Smoot compiled a 54-17 record and won the league championship in 2021.
Before App State, Smoot spent one season at George Washington University in 2020. While at GW, Smoot worked with Colonials’ catchers and assisted with hitters, including outfielder Cade Fergus, who was drafted in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Smoot is a 2019 graduate of the VMI, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business. Smoot was a four-year letter-winner starting over 50 games behind the plate his senior season, leading the Southern Conference in on-base percentage.
Smoot is a native of Strasburg, Virginia, and the son of Jeff and Libby Smoot. Jeff Smoot was a long-time high school baseball coach at Strasburg High School in Virginia winning over 500 games from 1982-2016. Ryan married his wife, Alyssa, in 2023.
