Hagen Smith could finish year in White Sox bullpen

Hall has been out since June 4th with a pec strain. The left-hander walked two and struck out two in this outing, while not allowing a hit. Still, he threw just 13 of his 29 pitches for strikes, so the Brewers will want to see that command click into place a bit more before they think about bringing him off the injured list.

The 24-year-old is now 17-for-41 (.415) in nine games at Triple-A with one home run, 10 RBI, one steal, and an 11/3 K/BB ratio. If the Giants were able to trade Matt Chapman at the deadline, there is a chance that Harber, should he keep this up, could see some MLB at-bats over the final month of the season.

Culpepper had missed almost a month after being hit by a pitch on the hand and then suffering a glute injury shortly after. However, he returned over the weekend and played three games for St. Paul. He is still not regualrly playing shortstop for full games, so that will be the next step, but the 23-year-old remains likely to get a call to the big leagues shortly after the August 14th deadline to keep his rookie eligibility for 2027.

The 23-year-old now has 31 home runs and 77 RBI on the season. Yes, he’s hitting .244, and there is some swing-and-miss that will likely always be a part of his game, but he still has an .883 OPS on the year and has perhaps the best power/speed combination in the upper minors. It would make sense for the Cardinals to find a spot in the lineup for him, but it may not happen until after August 14th, when they can retain his rookie eligibility for 2027.

It’s been a tough season for Campbell, as he tries to make adjustments to his swing. However, things have started to pick up in July, hitting .364/.509/.591 with two home runs, nine RBI, two steals, and a 12/11 K/BB ratio in 15 games. That’s obviously a small sample size, but Campbell is just 24 years old, so it’s too soon to close the book on his MLB future. If he can keep hitting like this to close the year, there’s a chance he’s back on the map for the Red Sox in 2027.

Holobetz came to the Red Sox as part of the Quinn Priester trade in 2025. In his first full season with the organization, he’s posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 93/25 K/BB ratio in 79 innings at Double-A. The 23-year-old has been heating up of late, with a 2.70 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over his last five starts. The right-hander has seen a huge jump in strikeouts with Boston, going from a 24 percent strikeout rate in 125 minor league innings last year to a 28.1 percent rate this season. He’s added velocity on his fastball and pairs that with a trio of solid but not elite secondary pitches. He has also shown plus control, which makes him a dark horse for innings in Boston’s rotation in 2027.

Santucci was the 47th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He’s been solid in Double-A this year, posting a 3.57 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 120/45 K/BB ratio in 90 2/3 innings. The left-hander has a fastball he can run up into the high-90s with a plus slider and a curveball that has taken a step forward for him this season. He’s emerging as a legitimate rotation candidate for 2027.

This was Rodríguez’s first appearance in affiliate ball since having Tommy John surgery in August of 2025. He started the game and didn’t allow a single baserunner while striking out one and throwing seven of his eight pitches for strikes. The 29-year-old will need a couple more weeks to build up his pitch count, but he could be an option in the Rays’ bullpen by the second half of August.

Las Vegas is obviously a brutal place for pitchers, but Sacramento won’t be much better. Keuchel struck out two and walked one in the outing while sitting 88.4 mph on his sinker. Surprisingly, that’s actually faster than the last time we saw him throw an MLB inning back in 2024. He will need a couple more starts before he could be an option for the Athletics, but he should not be an option for your fantasy teams.

The White Sox’s fifth overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, Smith had been sidelined with a shoulder impingement but returned last Monday and has now made two appearances at Triple-A since. His fastball velocity was up to 97 mph, and he looked healthy on Friday. James Fox of Future Sox reports that Smith is expected to finish this season as a member of the White Sox bullpen and then compete for a starting spot in 2027.