The Chicago White Sox have the top two left-handed pitching prospects in baseball, according to MLB.com, in Noah Schultz and Hagan Smith.
“It’s a great honor to be in that high position, but all that matters is what happens on the field,” Schultz said Friday afternoon at the Ramova Theatre. “So I’m getting ready to show that this year.”
Schultz and Smith will begin the spring showcasing their talents in major-league camp, as two of the team’s 24 nonseason invitationals. The Sox released their list ahead of Soxfest Live, a two-day fan festival in Bridgeport.
“It was cool to get that call,” Smith told the Tribune. “I was hoping I was going to get it, but you never know. This is going to be fun. ,
The Sox selected Smith with the No. 5 pick out of Arkansas in the 2024 draft. He had a 3.52 ERA in three starts for Class A Winston-Salem. The 21-year-old struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings.
“It was really cool for me to get out there and experience the pro ball lifestyle (and) meet some of the people in the organization,” Smith said.
The top-rated prospect in the SCX system, Schultz posted a 2.42 ERA in 23 starts between Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham. The 2022 first-round pick had 115 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings. The organization stuck with a strategy of a maximum of four innings per start in 2024 for the Oswego East product.
“It was part of the plan, I was told that ahead of time,” Schultz said. “I knew this was the plan. This year, I will get back into sports a little longer and I am excited about it. ,
The 21-year-old Schultz called the invitation to the big-league camp “an honor.”
“It’s an honor to be around the guys, the coaches on the big league staff,” he said. “I’m definitely going to learn a lot from him and be ready for this year.
“I love asking questions and learning from people and I’m excited to get there.”
General manager Chris Getz sees several benefits to the assignment for Schultz and Smith, who will both be attending their first major-league camps.
“Those are two pitchers that are obviously critical to the success of our organization,” Gaetz said Thursday. “We want to handle them appropriately. We talked about Noah and what some of our goals are this upcoming season and showed more about a major-league schedule. Having around (recently signed veteran pitcher) Martin Pérez (in spring camp) and—outside of just the pitchers—(such as infielder) Josh Rojas (and) some guys that can really help these guys. When the time is right to transition to the major-league level. ,
Outfielder Braden Montgomery is one of the players acquired from Boston for Garrett Crockett who are nonseason invites, as are sophomore Kyle Teal and infielder Chase Meadroth.
“It means a lot to know that they believe in me, at least as much or close to how they believe in themselves,” Montgomery said. “So it’s awesome to get that opportunity to show them off.
“I just look forward to waking up every day and showing everyone who I am.”
According to MLB.com, Montgomery is the No. 5 prospect in the organization, Teal is No. 2 and Meadroth is No. 13.
The list of nonnoster invitees from within the organization includes pitchers Mason Adams, Eric Adler, Peyton Pallett, Grant Taylor and Trey McGough, catchers Adam Hackenberg and Edgar Cuervo, infielders Tim Elko and Jacob Gonzalez (the team’s first-round pick in 2023). . and outfielders Corey Julcs and Wilfred Veras.
“Beyond just Hagen and Noah, we’ve got some other guys on the Nonroster Invite List (WHO), some other major-league players around here, a peer group of prospects to build a strong rapport with our coaching staff. , so when that time comes for them to come and help us at the major-league level, they’re comfortable,” Gaetz said.
“They can go in, they know what everybody looks like. They know they probably have some teaching pointers. There’s a lot of why we bring certain players to major-league camp.”
Additionally, the Sox signed pitchers Dan Altavilla, Justin Dunn and Jonathan Heasley, catcher Omar Narvaez, infielders Bobby Delbecq, Andre Lipsius and Cal Mitchell and outfielder Nick Maton to the minor leagues with invitations to minor-league camp.
drew thorpe injury update
The Sox said Thorpe is dealing with some “residual inflammation.” The right-hand starter is taking care of it with medication, with a ramp-up followed by a short shutdown.
Thorpe, acquired last year as part of the deal that sent starter Dylan to the San Diego Padres, had a 5.48 ERA in nine starts as a rookie before undergoing surgery in September. From June 22–July 21, Thorpe went 3–0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts.
The SOX announced a trade Friday afternoon, sending pitcher Ron Marinaccio to the PADRES in exchange for cash considerations. The Sox designated Marinaccio for assignment Tuesday while finalizing the Pérez signing. He was claimed by the Sox off waivers from the New York Yankees in September.