Smith, from North Augusta, South Carolina, was homeschooled through high school and played high school baseball for a team of home schooled students from the Central Savannah River Area. He then enrolled at Darton State College, where he played college baseball. While in college, Smith volunteered as a groundskeeper for the Augusta GreenJackets, the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, from 2009 through 2011. Eventually he got set up with a bullpen session with Steve Kline, Augusta's pitching coach at the time, who thought Smith had a projectable frame. He threw for Felipe Alou, a special assistant for the Giants, who attempted to sign Smith. Smith instead opted to transfer to Campbell University to continue his college baseball career.