White Sox Reportedly Calling Up Top 2 Pitching Prospects for Second Half Run
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The Chicago White Sox are looking inward to bolster their roster down the stretch.
While the organization added several new faces at the trade deadline, their moves still left some fans wanting more. Whether it was the addition of a struggling Luis Castillo or a journeyman catcher in Joey Bart, it felt like the White Sox missed on adding the kind of player who could truly make a difference come postseason time.
Nevertheless, a big reason for that was seemingly the trust they had in their farm system. GM Chris Getz was pretty insistent on not giving up a Top 10 prospect. After all, the White Sox' young talent is exactly why they are at the top of the AL Central this season, so why not continue to trust the process?
Well, that's exactly what the White Sox will do during this second half of the season. Multiple reports surfaced on Friday night that both Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal are getting called up to the Bigs. Future Sox was first on the news before Sox Machine's James Fagen followed. The White Sox have yet to make the moves official.
Smith is currently the White Sox' No. 2 prospect behind Caleb Bonemer, per MLB Pipeline. McDougal is the franchise's No. 4 prospect. Both have put together strong seasons for the Charlotte Knights in Triple-A.
For what it's worth, James Fox of Future Sox is reporting that Noah Schultz and David Sandlin will be optioned back to Charlotte. The former has been a consistent part of the starting rotation for months but has struggled to live up to the hype with a 6.06 ERA. Moving on from him means a starting spot will open up.
White Sox Continue Youth Movement with Two Big Promotions
Both Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal will arrive on the South Side with starting experience. With that in mind, Will Venable could attempt to go with either in Schultz' spot. At the same time, Erick Fedde recently transitioned to the bullpen with the acquisition of Luis Castillo. The veteran was solid as a fifth starter this season with a 4.30 ERA. In his previous 15 games, Fedde even held a 3.30 ERA.
Especially with the postseason coming, it might be wise to lean on Fedde's maturity. However, the White Sox will have other options in the bullpen if they want to really get experimental. Sean Newcomb and Jordan Hicks are both familiar with holding a starting role.
Regardless, there is real potential for both Smith and McDougal to provide a jolt to this White Sox squad. The 22-year-old Smith has great swing-and-miss stuff. He's struck out 87 batters in 58.1 innings of work this season. The southpaw has also recently transitioned to the bullpen in Charlotte, where he has only allowed a single earned run in six appearances with 10 strikeouts.
McDougal saw a similar shift this year, pitching his first six games as a starter before moving to a relief job. He has a 3.44 ERA in his 36.2 innings. The 23-year-old is another high-octane arm who pairs an upper-90s fastball with a steep and slow curve. He'll struggle with his command at times, but when McDougal is locked in, his stuff can look nasty.
One has to imagine that the White Sox moving both to the bullpen was in preparation for this second-half role. They should now be a lot more comfortable with the transition. Still, don't be shocked if Venable gives either a chance to prove they can be part of the starting rotation. Each still projects to be worthy of that role moving forward.
If one thing is for sure, we're entering crunch time. The White Sox have only a 2.0-game lead for the AL Central. They are currently battling the very team trying to catch up to them, the Cleveland Guardians. This young team isn't used to being in this kind of tight playoff race, so they will need all the help they can get to ensure this breakout season doesn't end ugly.
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Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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