Cam Smith, 22, makes opening day roster for Astros - ESPN

Cam Smith, the fast-rising 22-year-old slugger acquired as part of the Kyle Tucker trade with the Chicago Cubs this offseason, has made the Opening Day roster for the Houston Astros.

Smith was informed of the decision before the Astros' exhibition game Tuesday night against their Triple-A club.

In a video shared by the team, Houston manager Joe Espada addressed players in the clubhouse and then brought out Smith's mother, who notified her son of the decision.

The call up. <a href=«https://twitter.com/hashtag/BuiltForThis?src=hash&ref_src=» https:>#BuiltForThis

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«I always thought it was possible,» an emotional Smith told reporters shortly after he was informed of the decision. «I had a great group of guys to help me out to get here today. I always thought it was a possibility for it to happen. And we're here today talking about it now. So I'm very blessed.

»At one point it was just me and her (his mother) in the house. She struggled to take me to baseball games and practice. I'm just happy to do it for her."

Smith's ascension to the major leagues has been meteoric. He played just 32 games in the minors last season after being drafted 14th overall by the Cubs in July. According to MLB.com, that's the third-fewest games played by a position player before he made it to the big leagues since 1965. Only Pete Incaviglia of the 1986 Texas Rangers (zero games) and John Olerud of the 1990 Toronto Blue Jays (six) got there faster.

Smith had a huge spring to help his cause, as he hit .342 with four home runs.

After bursting onto the minor league scene last summer, when he hit six home runs in six consecutive Single-A games, the Cubs traded him to Houston for All-Star right fielder Tucker in a winter,