It did not take long for Hagen Smith to start working his way up the White Sox minor league system. The team’s first-round pick in last month’s draft, Smith is being promoted to the High-A Winston-Salem Dash and will make his first start there next Saturday per Ian Eskridge of FutureSox. The organization decided to have Smith skip the Low-A level entirely in favor of a more challenging environment in High-A, a testament to his talent and potential to skyrocket through the minors.
The 20-year-old left-hander was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 draft and was arguably the best college pitcher in his draft class. In 16 starts with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in 2024, the 6’3 225 pound Smith compiled a 2.04 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and an otherworldly 17.3 K/9, while holding opposing batters to a .144 average. His fastball and slider each received 65 grades per MLB.com, and he is the #32 prospect in baseball per their list. He is also the third-best prospect in the White Sox organization and the second-best left-handed pitching prospect in MLB after fellow White Sox farmhand Noah Schultz.
Smith’s mechanics are similar to that of former White Sox top pick Carlos Rodón, and based on their aggressive assignment of him, it seems like Smith could fly through the minors as quickly as Rodón did. Smith will likely stay at the High-A level for at least a while, but it would not be surprising to see him get a taste of AA down the stretch this season. Barring something unexpected, Smith should fly through the White Sox farm system and possibly make it to Chicago by some point next year.
Pitching is by far the strength of the White Sox moving forward. Even with Garrett Crochet potentially being on the trade block this offseason, the organization has a deeper stable of young starting pitchers than they have had in a long time. Drew Thorpe, Jonathan Cannon, Ky Bush, Noah Schultz, and Mason Adams, among others, fall into this category. Despite their immense pitching talent, Smith has more upside than anyone else in the system besides Schultz. He projects as a top-of-the-rotation arm and will be integral to the team’s goals in the coming years.
Hagen Smith’s promotion to High-A is an exciting development in a dismal season for the White Sox. While there is no reason to rush him, clearly the organization feels that the lower levels of the minors are not enough of a challenge for him and will instead start his professional career against a tougher talent level. His progress is worth monitoring, and it is only a matter of time before he dominates opposing hitters on the south side. The franchise has a history of getting the most out of tall left-handed pitchers in the draft. Chris Sale, Carlos Rodón, and Garrett Crochet fall into this group. Hopefully, Smith will follow suit and become the future ace for the White Sox.
