Jace was born and raised in Dripping Springs, Texas, and played basketball and baseball growing up until making baseball a full-time commitment in High School.  Jace was a three-year letter at Dripping Springs High School under Head Coach Tom Hancock receiving 1st team All-District Honors sophomore and senior season, Most Valuable Player senior year as well as first team All Central Texas senior year. Jace went on to play two seasons at Hill Junior College earning best pitcher award sophomore year and from there he attended King College (now King University) in Bristol, Tennessee under Head Coach Mark Conkin from 2007-2008. While there, he garnered the best era in the nation in NAIA with a 1.06 and ended up signing a free agent contract with The Kansas City Royals in 2008 after completion of his senior year. 

Jace attended spring training with The Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League in 2009 but retired to finish his degree at Sam Houston State in December of 2009, earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. In December 2010, Jace became an associate scout for the Houston Astros tracking first year player draft eligible high school and college players as well as hosting pre-draft workouts and tryout camps. Jace has been part of the Summer Collegiate League, Perfect Game Collegiate League, and the San Diego League coaching circuit. Jace volunteered as an assistant coach for Longwood University in Virginia before Covid-19 halted the 2020 spring season.

Jace is a huge fan of boxing and would eventually like to write articles about fighters and the sport.  He has trained in the sport and finds the commitment to the craft gratifying to mental and physical health. Jace enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing and hiking as well as the art of horticulture. Jace says that once his baseball career is over, he would like to be a small-time farmer and raise cattle like his late Grandpa Charles Smith.