Jaxon Smith-Njigba reveals what it meant to see brother make MLB debut

Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn’t the only superstar athlete in his family. His older brother, Canaan Smith-Njigba, is a rookie outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Canaan recently made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter in June against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he doubled with two outs left in the ninth inning in his first career at-bat.

While Canaan ended the game stranded at second base and a loss, that didn’t stop his younger brother from soaking in the moment.

“It was a dream come true. It was a dream come true. That’s something we’ve talked about all our lives and for that to happen, it was like a movie. I can’t even explain it. But it just seems right. For some reason it just seems right,” Smith-Njigba said. “Bottom of the ninth, two outs left, he was the last, they put him in and he hits a double. It just makes me proud. It makes me want to get where he’s at and just grow. It’s a blessing.”

In 52 Triple-A games this season, Smith-Njigba was batted .277/.387/.408 with a home run, 15 doubles, three triples and 31 runs scored before being called up. Since his June debut, Smith-Njigba played in two more games where he managed to earn a walk before scoring later that inning. The double is still his only major league hit to date.

While his older brother is having to grind his way to stay on the Pirates’ roster, Smith-Njigba is one of the premier wide receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle and an integral member of the Ohio State Buckeyes‘ College Football Playoff Championship efforts.

Coming off a monster sophomore season where Smith-Njigba compiled an Ohio State record of 95 receptions and 1,606 yards, and capping off the season with record-breaking, monster outing at the Rose Bowl in the absence of former teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave where he had 347 yards on 15 catches and three touchdowns in a comeback win against Utah.

Canaan will hope some of his younger brother’s ability to stuff the stat sheet rubs off on him and the Pirates for a late-season push as they are 17 games back from the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central.