HOUSTON -- Raised in Florida by a single mother who made sure he never missed a baseball practice or tournament, Astros right fielder Cam Smith has never taken for granted the sacrifices made by his mom, Stephanie Hocza.
Smith saw firsthand the struggle single mothers have raising a family, especially when it comes to finances. That's not only true with raising athletes and the expense that comes with that, but also day-to-day responsibilities of clothing and putting food on the table. Now that he's in position to help other single mothers, the 23-year-old Smith is doing just that.
Several of Smith's Astros teammates, including Yordan Alvarez, Carlos Correa, Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews, were on hand Monday night at a Houston boutique for the launch of the Cam Smith Foundation, which will provide support for single mothers and their children through meaningful experiences, mentorship, community partnerships and direct support.
"I'm so excited," Smith said. "I couldn't wait for this day. Obviously I'm helping out the single-mother households and that community itself because I was one of those kids. I'm happy to start and get it going."
Smith was hoping to raise thousands of dollars Monday night though auction items that included baseballs, jerseys and bats signed by Smith and some of his teammates. Even Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan donated some items to be auctioned for charity.
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Hocza, a data processor at Palm Beach Central High School (which retired Smith's No 13 jersey earlier this year), was the one who informed Smith he had made the Major League roster for the first time when she was invited into the Spring Training clubhouse prior to the 2025 season. It was only fitting she gave her son the news he was going to live his dream.
"All of her free time was really taken away by me, obviously for good reason," Smith said. "Just thinking about it 15 years down the road, she didn't have any free time. It was always me. We would play tournaments every single weekend and be in different cities, different states, and she found a way to get me there. She found a way to make my dreams come true."
Smith was selected 14th overall by the Cubs in the 2024 Draft and traded to the Astros later that December as part of the Kyle Tucker trade. Smith parlayed a terrific spring into a spot on Houston's Opening Day roster, and he's been a mainstay in right field since. In two seasons, he's slashed .222/.294/.375 with 30 homers, 107 RBIs and twice finished as a Gold Glove finalist in right field -- a position he hadn't played before the spring of '25.
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Hocza, who's a regular at Smith's games, couldn't attend Monday's event, but this was only the start for the Cam Smith Foundation.
"Unfortunately, she couldn't make the first event, but I know without a doubt she'll be at the next one," Smith said. "Obviously, it hits home for us. We got emotional about it together."
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST
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Alvarez's 140 career home runs as a designated hitter are the most in Astros history. Who has the second most at the position?
A. Jose Altuve
B. Chris Carter
C. Evan Gattis
D. George Springer
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This will be a busy week for Alvarez in terms of awards. He's a finalist for the American League Most Valuable Player Award, which will be announced from 6-7 p.m. CT Thursday on MLB Network. He joins Junior Caminero of the Rays and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals as finalists for MVP.
The only Astros to win MVP Awards are Jeff Bagwell (1994, in the National League) and Jose Altuve (2017, in the AL).
"The last couple of days, I've been a little nervous," Alvarez told MLB.com on Monday. "The day is getting close, and it's very exciting and a little nervous for me."
Alvarez will fly to Las Vegas on Wednesday in advance for the MLB Awards show. He is also a shoo-in for the All-MLB First or Second Team, as well as a candidate for the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award, both of which will be announced on Wednesday. Alvarez missed 100 games in 2025 due to right hand inflammation and a left ankle sprain. He is also a finalist for the AL Silver Slugger Award, which will be announced Tuesday.
"This is something that's special for me, especially after what happened last year," Alvarez said. "To be able to turn the page and do all of this, the most important thing is I stayed healthy during the whole season. For you to be recognized for what you've done on the field, it's very special."
Alvarez won the AL batting title in 2026 (.316) and led the Majors in on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601), OPS (1.033), total bases (341) and walks (109), while finishing first in the AL in offensive wins above replacement (7.2, per Baseball Reference) and tied for second in RBIs (106) and home runs (42).
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C. Gattis
Gattis had 63 home runs as Houston's DH from 2015-18. Carter is third with 47.
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