When hanging out at Triple-A, it's probably best to choke up against Hagen Smith.
MLB's No. 49 prospect struck out a season-high nine in his first start of the month for Charlotte on Tuesday. The White Sox southpaw went 4 1/3 innings in a 6-1 victory over Durham at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Making his 12th career appearance at the level, Smith won an ABS challenge on his first strikeout in the opening frame, sitting down veteran outfielder Austin Slater (Rays) on a backdoor slider. The fifth overall pick in the 2024 Draft piled up four more punchouts across the next three innings.
COMPLETE WHITE SOX PROSPECT COVERAGE
Slater put a blemish of Smith's outing with an RBI groundout in the third, marking the lone earned run on the lefty's ledger. The 22-year-old surrendered only two hits -- one double -- and a pair of walks. In the fourth, he struck out the side in order before securing his ninth and final punchout in the fifth.
Smith ultimately didn't factor into the decision after getting the hook due to his pitch count. He fired 55 of his 89 pitches for strikes and generated 17 swings-and-misses, tied with Columbus' Rorik Maltrud (Guardians) for the most on the day at Triple-A.
Smith fell one strikeout shy of matching his career high of 10, which he recorded in a four-inning start on April 5, 2025. This season, the 22-year-old has posted a 4.19 ERA and 63 strikeouts to 30 walks across 43 innings. While his WHIP sits at 1.35, Smith's average-against has remained below the Mendoza Line at .185.
"He's a really talented pitcher," Noah Schultz (CWS No. 3/MLB No. 26) said of Smith on Opening Day. "Being able to watch him and see how he's grown as a pitcher, as a player, it's really awesome to see."
More from MLB Pipeline:
• Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage
Schultz got the call to The Show in mid-April and has made eight starts for Chicago. Meanwhile, fellow 22-year-old lefty Smith continues to build a convincing case for joining the big league club and contributing alongside his former rotation mate this season.