Why This MLB Pitcher Shares His Faith With Fans

Published: August 26, 2025

Baseball MLB — Photo from Jose Morales via Unsplash

By Gavin Boyle

MLB pitcher Cade Smith shared the gospel with fans after he was asked about the Bible verse embroidered on his glove.

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

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The Bible verse embroidered on Smith’s glove is 1 Corinthians 6:11, which reads, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

This is not the first time Smith has been open about his faith. He had a stellar rookie season in 2024, posting an ERA of 1.91 across 74 games. As one of the best pitchers in baseball, the spotlight continues to be on him, and he continues to share his faith at every opportunity.

“The first and most important thing is that I’m confident and certain that my identity is not in baseball, my identity is based in my faith and that is something that can’t be taken from me and it can’t be shaped by the highs and lows of this game,” Smith said during a pre-game interview in May. “[My performance] doesn’t define me. That doesn’t affect who I am, how I am with my family, with the guys in the clubhouse. So, I can shake it off. I can learn what I can from each performance regardless of the outcome and then I can move forward and continue to learn from it.”

Smith is one of many professional athletes who have become bold about their faith in recent years.

This has helped spark a nationwide interest in the Lord, especially among younger people who look up to these stars. Having players like Smith credit their success to God above all else inspires up-and-coming players to consider finding their identity in the Lord also, rather than in their athletic ability.

This boldness has even found its way into college sports as well, revealing the trickle down effect this trend has had. The Ohio State football team, for example, was full of many Christians last year who kept the spotlight on Christ amidst a season where they went on to win the National Championship. Even after this achievement, they continued to serve their community and use their success to glorify the Lord above all else.

Praise the Lord for Smith’s boldness and the other athletes like him who inspire the younger generation to ground themselves in Christ rather than the things of this world.

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