Joe Smith (Rockville Express 2005/Wright State) has been invited to spring training camp for the New York Mets as a non-roster invitee. Smith became the highest drafted Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League alum in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when he was selected in the third round (94th overall) by the Mets. Smith is the first Ripken, Sr. League alum to participate in spring training at the Major League level.

Smith saw action in 17 games as the closer for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League before earning a promotion to the Binghamton Mets in the Double-A Eastern League. For Brooklyn, Smith went 0-1 with a 0.45 ERA and nine saves in 20 innings pitched. He allowed just one earned run and struck out 28 batters (to three walks). For Binghamton, Smith went 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in ten appearances. In 12.2 innings pitched for the class-A Mets, Smith struck out 12 batters.

Smith appeared in nine games for the Express in 2005, going 1-0 with 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched. He compiled an ERA of 4.66 and walked just four batters.