His first game in the major leagues and Kevan Smith was already faced with a dilemma.

The 28-year-old catcher and Seneca Valley graduate became the first Butler BlueSox alumnus to reach the big leagues when the Chicago White Sox called him up last Thursday. The ChiSox inserted him in the game during the eighth inning against Minnesota that night.

“I was able to throw out the first runner trying to steal against me,” Smith said. “But it was also the first (major league) strikeout for Juan Minaya, who was called up with me.”

The baseball was retrieved by the White Sox dugout. But what to do with it?

“I wanted to cut the ball in half and share it,” Smith said, laughing.

Instead, he turned it over to Minaya.

“The first strikeout means a little more,” Smith said. “Hopefully, I've got a few more firsts of my own coming up.”

Smith has already scored his first run in the big leagues, doing so Saturday. He is hitless in his first eight big league at bats.

Smith is the third Seneca Valley player under Raider baseball coach Eric Semega to play in a major league game. Pitchers Zach Jackson and Cory Mazzoni are the others.

Semega was an assistant coach at SV when outfielder Jason Conti — who also played in the big leagues — was with the Raiders.

“I admire anyone who can get to The Show because of what it takes to get there,” Semega said. “I've had 10 to 15 players get drafted or sign with major league organizations. It's an achievement just getting that far.”

Smith said nerves were not a factor in making his debut.

“I haven't felt nervous or anxious up here,” Smith said of the White Sox. “I felt comfortable my first time behind the plate, like I belonged.”

He certainly had his patience tested in getting there.

Smith was hitting well over .300 with Class AAA Charlotte in late April when he was first called up by the White Sox. He incurred back spasms during pre-game warmups — with his name on the starting lineup card — and was placed on the disabled list.

He said the back issue actually started the previous year, when he jammed his spikes into the plate while sliding into home.

“I developed a bulging disc at that point,” Smith said. “Some of the exercises I was doing for a long time afterward were actually aggravating that part of my body.

“It (back) was waiting to go out. It just happened at a very bad time. That was tough to go through.”

The back spasms set Smith back a month. He then decided to have surgery done to clean up a torn knee ligament. That took another six weeks out of his season.

“It was the end of July before I finally got back,” Smith said. “You learn that injuries are a part of this. The whole process has helped me in the long run. Now I feel great and I've learned more about my body and how to take care of it.

“I'm doing the type of exercises now that won't harm my back. It's all good. (White Sox manager) Robin Ventura kept that lineup card with my name on it back in April until I was called back up this time. Once I played, he tore it up.

“But he saved it all that time, just in case I never made it back up. That meant a lot to me,” Smith added.

Smith was originally drafted as a catcher in the later rounds out of high school, but opted to go to the University of Pittsburgh as a quarterback. He started a few games for Pitt before returning to baseball as a catcher for the Panthers two years later.

He was drafted in the seventh round by the White Sox after his senior season at Pitt. He hit .347 while playing for the BlueSox the summer after his junior year.

“It's not uncommon for a kid in his situation to try football first, then go back to baseball,” Semega said. “For one, the scholarship money is hard to pass up. And it's tougher returning to football once you get away from it.

“Even as a high school player, I knew Kevan had major league tools as a catcher. I told him that. He had what it took defensively, offensively and with the throwing arm.”

Smith said he had no regrets playing Division I football first.

“That experience helped me develop more strength and speed,” Smith said. “And when you're taunted by thousands of people as a 19-year-old kid, it builds your character.

“Over the next month, the White Sox are going to give me opportunities, just to see what I can do. And I'm anxious to show them.”