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Stats

White Sox call up top prospect Hagen Smith

Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

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White Sox selected the contract of LHP Hagen Smith from Triple-A Charlotte.

Smith is ostensibly up with Chicago as emergency long relief depth behind veteran starters Anthony Kay and Davis Martin for the remainder of their weekend against the Guardians after a mistake by manager Will Venable forced Noah Schultz to exit after just 23 pitches on Friday night. The 22-year-old southpaw was selected fifth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and misses bats at an incredible rate, thanks to a wicked slider that comes at hitters from a three-quarters arm slot. He remains a project from a mechanics and arsenal development standpoint, which leaves some questions regarding his ultimate role. He misses enough bats to matter for fantasy purposes, whether he sticks as a starter or winds up in the bullpen down the road. His odds of making a significant fantasy impact right away are extremely long.

- George Bissell

Transaction

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Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

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The White Sox will call up Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal prior to Saturday’s game.

Noah Schultz and David Sandlin will both be sent down. This is more about having fresh arms available than anything to do with performance, but Smith and McDougal are among the team’s best prospects. Smith, the fifth overall pick in the 2024 draft, was moved to the bullpen at Triple-A Charlotte earlier this month and has since pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in five appearances.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

Hagen Smith threw two scoreless innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday.

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.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox activated LHP Hagen Smith (shoulder impingement) from the minor league injured list and reinstated him at Triple-A Charlotte.

Smith also threw one inning of relief on Sunday, allowing one run on one hit in one inning while walking three and striking out two. Three walks while coming off a month’s absence for a shoulder impingement is not the best sign. Hopefully it’s just some rust that needs to be shaken off.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox LHP prospect Hagen Smith has been diagnosed with a left shoulder impingement.

The plan is for Smith to not throw for multiple weeks, and then to spend two more weeks ramping up before returning to game action. The 22-year-old will be out at least a month, but obviously something involving the shoulder with a pitcher could lead to a lengthier absence if there’s even a hint of a setback.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox are considering calling up LHP prospect Hagen Smith, according to Bruce Levine.

Levine mentioned that White Sox manager Will Venable said Smith is “one of the team’s options” for Saturday against the Dodgers. It would certainly be a tough first test for Smith, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. The left-hander has back-to-back Triple-A outings with nine strikeouts and just threw 92 pitches in his last outing, which was his most ever in a professional game. His strikeout upside is immense, with 72 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season, but he also has 33 walks and posted a 17.6 percent walk rate last year as well. That has made it hard for him to pitch deep into games and could limit his fantasy ceiling in redraft formats.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox LHP prospect Hagen Smith threw 4 2/3 shutout innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday, striking out nine and allowing three hits.

Smith also walked three, so he was unable to complete five innings yet again, but he did throw 92 pitches in this outing, which is the most he’s ever thrown in pro ball. In his last three starts, Smith has allowed three runs on nine hits in 14 innings while striking out 25 and walking six. He has only completed five innings in one of those starts, so efficiency and command remain key issues for the 22-year-old, but he seems to be starting to round into form.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox LHP prospect Hagen Smith allowed one run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday,

Smith also struck out nine and walked just two on the day. His pure raw stuff was impressive, but he threw 55 of his 89 pitches for strikes and needed almost 90 pitches to get 13 outs. Some of that is the result of him looking for, and getting whiffs, which led to longer counts and strikeouts. However, Smith has also struggled with his command at times this season. The fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft has plenty of upside but still has some work to do at Triple-A.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox LHP prospect Hagen Smith allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday, striking out four but walking five batters.

Smith’s command was a real issue here, throwing just 30 of his 62 pitches for strikes. He also sat 95.2 mph on his four-seam fastball and was down to 93.3 mph in the third inning. His slider was also over three mph slower by the third inning. Perhaps he was just struggling to get loose today, but this was a rough performance from the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

White Sox reassigned LHP Hagen Smith, INFs Oliver Dunn, William Bergolla Jr., RHP Tyson Miller and OFs Dustin Harris and Dru Baker to minor league camp.

Smith is the notable inclusion here after an impressive Cactus League outings against the division-rival Royals over the weekend where he struck out five over two scoreless innings. The 22-year-old southpaw projects as an impactful fantasy contributor once he reaches the majors based on his stratospheric strikeouts rates throughout his career.
Hagen Smith

CWS Starting Pitcher #82

Hagen Smith notched five strikeouts over two scoreless innings on Sunday against the Royals.

Smith, the fifth-overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, handed out one walk and needed just 30 pitches (18 strikes) to spin a pair of frames in this one. The 22-year-old lefty profiles as an impact fantasy arm once he ascends to the majors based on his sky-high strikeout rates. He’ll gain some additional seasoning in the upper minors to open the year but there’s a chance he reaches the big leagues at some point in the second half.

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Clay Holmes

CHC Starting Pitcher #25
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Cubs activated RHP Clay Holmes from the 60-day injured list.

After nearly three months off, Holmes will make his return and his Cubs debut in a start tonight against the Royals.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Braxton Garrett

CHC Starting Pitcher #60
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Cubs optioned LHP Braxton Garrett to Triple-A Iowa

Garrett, recalled Thursday after being acquired from the Marlins on Monday, didn’t pitch in his two days with the Cubs.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Blas Castaño

COL Relief Pitcher #63
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Rockies activated RHP Blas Castaño from the 15-day injured list; optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Castaño had been on the IL since June 21 with a pectoral strain. After two scoreless innings to begin his rehab assignment, he gave up four runs for Albuquerque last night, which probably ruined his chances of getting re-inserted into the Rockies pen.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Christian Yelich

MIL Designated Hitter #22
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Chrisitian Yelich is hitting seventh Saturday, putting him in the bottom third of the order for the first time since 2015.

This is against a right-hander, too. Yelich, though, is 3-for-28 with an 8/0 K/BB this month, dropping him down to .232/.316/.371 for the season. It hasn’t cost him any playing time yet, but one wonders if it might once Sal Frelick comes off the injured list.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Mike Vassalo

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

TOR 1st Baseman #27
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is back in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Phillies.

Guerrero is back at first base and hitting third following a three-game absence due to hamstring tightness. He’s been battling the issue since last week. The 27-year-old former fantasy star continues to endure one of the more bizarre seasons in recent memory from an established upper-echelon power hitter, mustering just six homers in 108 games on the year.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: MLB.com

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Jack Leiter

TEX Starting Pitcher #22
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Jack Leiter (ankle) faced hitters on Saturday in a live batting practice session.

Leiter told reporters afterwards that he feels ready for a rehab assignment. The 26-year-old has been on the shelf working his way back from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right ankle in late June. There’s a decent chance he’s back in the Rangers’ rotation by late August.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: Shawn McFarland

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Max Clark

DET Center Fielder #95
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Max Clark is hitting seventh on Saturday against the Giants.

Clark has gotten off to an extremely encouraging start at the highest level, hitting .321 (9-for-28) with one homer and four RBI through seven games since being called up from Triple-A Toledo last week. The Tigers have shown zero indication that they’re considering moving their top positional prospect towards the top of the order, which limits his counting stats upside for the final two months. He should provide enough of a batting average boost, in addition to some stolen bases, to be worthy of a roster spot in deeper fantasy leagues.
- George Bissell

Source: MLB.com

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Nelson Velázquez

STL Left Fielder #17
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Cardinals designated OF Nelson Velázquez for assignment.

Velázquez cedes his spot on St. Louis’ roster to recent waiver wire acquisition Everson Pereira prior to Saturday’s game against the Rockies. The 27-year-old outfielder hit just .216/.289/.432 with four homers and 12 RBI in 83 plate appearances over 34 games for the Cardinals this season.
- George Bissell

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Carson Benge

NYM Right Fielder #3
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Carson Benge (wrist) is out of the lineup for Saturday’s contest against the Pirates.

No surprise after Benge suffered a left wrist injury on a collision with the left-field wall while making a sliding catch during Friday’s contest. The positive news for the Mets, and fantasy managers, is that initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures. He’s probably going to need a couple days to rest and recover, but early indications are that he avoided serious injury. It’ll be fellow rookie A.J. Ewing taking over in left field with Luis Robert Jr. patrolling center field and Brett Baty in the opposite corner.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: MLB.com
A.J. Ewing

Luis Robert Jr.

Brett Baty
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Eric Wagaman

NYM 1st Baseman #39
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Mets optioned INF/OF Eric Wagaman to Triple-A Syracuse.

Wagaman heads to the minors to clear a spot for newly acquired infielder Gabriel Arias. The 28-year-old was brought up again after Juan Soto hit the injured list back in late July. He’s hit .190 (8-for-42) with two homers and four RBI in the big leagues this season.
- George Bissell

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