All Hogs

Former Razorback All-American making his mark in pro ball

National Pitcher of the Year in 2024 has started twice for Double-A Birmingham Barons
Bob Stephens|
Feb 20, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Hagen Smith poses for a photo on media day at the team’s spring training facility in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 20.
Feb 20, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Hagen Smith poses for a photo on media day at the team’s spring training facility in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 20. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

Hagen Smith was the most dominant pitcher in all of college baseball a year ago, which led to him being the fifth overall pick in last July's Major League draft.

He was the first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox and appears to have a brilliant and lucrative future as a starting pitcher.

Smith flashed that overpowering form and prodigious talent in his first start with the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound left-hander didn't allow a hit and struck out 10 in four phenomenal innings. He struck out six consecutive Knoxville Smokies and retired the last nine hitters he faced.

The Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The White Sox are being cautious with Smith and he left Tuesday's game after four innings.

Smith displayed the occasional wildness that harkened back to his first two seasons pitching for coach Dave Van Horn and the Hogs.

He walked four Smokies, hit another and uncorked a wild pitch that led to an earned run. Still, the 10 whiffs gave him an amazing ratio of 22.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. On the other hand, his walks to nine innings were 9/9.

That inability to hit the mitt carried over to his second start Saturday as Smith failed to escape the first inning.

Only 18 of his 33 pitches were strikes. Twos were wild as he surrendered two walks and two hits for two runs and struck out a pair in just two-thirds of an inning.

Mixed results are common among minor leaguers, even most top prospects. Otherwise, they'd be in the big leagues.

The White Sox will be patient with their 21-year-old southpaw. After all, he's the No. 2 rated left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, just behind his Barons teammate Noah Schultz.

Schultz is the White Sox's top prospect, with 23-year-old catcher Kyle Teel second and Smith ranked third.

That trio leads an impressive group of minor league talent that brings hope to White Sox fans that Chicago's South Side team will soon be back in the playoffs.

Of course, that bright future is likely at least two seasons away. Schultz is likely to make his MLB debut late this season but Smith not until 2026.

They're both ultra-talented 21-year-olds but this is Schultz's fourth season of professional baseball as he signed a contract following high school.

Smith would've been a higher draft pick than Schultz, who was the 26th pick in the 2022 draft. By all accounts, Smith could've been a third-round selection after dominating his level of Texas high school baseball by tying the state record with seven no-hitters.

Razorback fans who watched Smith the previous three seasons were treated to a special talent. That's why they agree with White Sox folks who figure Smith will have fewer outings like he did Saturday and many more resembling Tuesday's dominant effort.

Here's how Baseball Savant graded Smith prior to last summer's draft, following his outstanding performance as a junior with the Hogs.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 65 | Splitter: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55

Smith missed his entire high school junior season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, then returned to tie a Texas prep record with seven no-hitters in 2021.

He could have been a top-three-round pick if not for his strong commitment to Arkansas, where he emerged as the best lefty pitching prospect in the 2024 Draft.

The Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year, he set an NCAA Division I record for strikeout rate (17.3 per nine innings) and led the nation in average-against (.144) before the White Sox selected him fifth overall and gave him the largest bonus ever for a left-hander ($8 million).

Both Smith's fastball and slider are well-above-average pitches. His four-seamer works at 94-97 mph and reaches 100 mph, playing even better than its impressive velocity because his funky delivery and low release height create plenty of deception and carry.

His slider is his best offering, an 83-87 mph beast with horizontal and vertical action that overwhelms lefties and also works against righties.

Smith still is learning to command his upper-80s splitter, though it features intriguing tumble and generates swings-and-misses at its best. He operates from a low three-quarters arm angle with some crossfire, creating a different look for hitters but also hampering his ability to throw strikes at times.

His strong 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame should lend itself to durability and he should slot in behind fellow southpaw Noah Schultz as Chicago's frontline starters of the future.

Here's another line from Baseball Savant, on a prevous scouting report:

"He has improved his control and performance in 2024, highlighted by striking out 17 over six innings on just 78 pitches against Oregon State, with some evaluators calling it the most dominant game they ever had seen."

Check out this video. Many Razorback rooters, and readers of Hogs on SI, have seen it before but believe me, it's worth marveling at no matter how many times you watch.

That included three whiffs of Oregon State star second baseman Travis Bazzana, who the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Cleveland Guardians.

No doubt, Bazzana won't look forward to facing Smith again when they're both established big leaguers in a year or two. Not many hitters will want to face the greatest hurler in Hogs history.

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Bob Stephens
BOB STEPHENS

Bob Stephens won more than a dozen awards as a sportswriter and columnist in Northwest Arkansas from 1980 to 2003. He started as a senior for the 1975 Fayetteville Bulldogs’ state championship basketball team, and was drafted that summer in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but signed instead with Norm DeBriyn's Razorbacks, playing shortstop and third base. Bob has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, New Jersey Star-Ledger, and many more. He covered the Razorbacks in three Final Fours, three College World Series, six New Year’s Day bowl games, and witnessed many track national championships. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Pati. Follow on X: @BobHogs56

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