Just days after being discussed as a potential MLB call-up, Hagen Smith is shut down with a shoulder impingement, adding another frustrating setback to the talented left-hander's development.
This time last week, left-handed pitching prospect Hagen Smith was on the verge of making his MLB debut for the Chicago White Sox.
The Sox needed a starting pitcher for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and didn't shy away from the fact that Smith was one of the primary options being considered.
When the series finale against the Atlanta Braves was postponed, the White Sox were able to push their starting rotation back for the weekend series with Los Angeles and therefore no longer needed Smith in Chicago. Instead, the No. 4 prospect in the White Sox organization and the No. 47-ranked prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline, found himself making another start in Charlotte.
Smith lasted 4.1 innings, allowed eight runs on four home runs, and saw his season ERA jump from 3.78 to 4.67.
Now, to make matters worse, he's being shut down from throwing because of a shoulder impingement. It's a rapid and unfortunate turn of events for both Smith and the White Sox.
This has kind of been the story of Hagen Smith's professional career up to this point.
After being selected fifth overall by the White Sox in the 2024 MLB Draft, there have been moments when he's looked dominant and moments when he has seemed completely overwhelmed. Smith made 20 starts in 2025, posting a 3.57 ERA with 108 strikeouts over 75.2 innings pitched. All in all, it was a pretty strong season. But it wasn't with serious hiccups. Smith had to be pulled from game action in May to make a mechanical adjustment to his delivery.
Smith then posted a 6.11 ERA in the month of July after returning, issuing 11 walks over 17.2 innings pitched. He still had a 3.88 ERA as late as August 24, and it wasn't until he closed out the regular season and entered the playoffs with the Double-A Birmingham Barons looking dominant that White Sox fans really started to become more bullish on his future.
The 2026 season has featured more of the same. Smith had a 4.54 ERA on May 21. He then rattled off 14 innings with three earned runs and 25 strikeouts over three consecutive starts, lowering his ERA to 3.78 and positioning himself for a possible MLB debut. But just as he reached a high point, Hagen Smith has hit another low.
I still think we'll see Smith in a White Sox uniform before the end of 2026. He's too talented not to reach the big leagues, and the White Sox are too desperate for pitching not to give him a chance once he gets healthy and regains his confidence. But another injury setback is certainly frustrating for the organization.
A lot of the reinforcements Chicago was hoping to lean on for innings as the season progressed have not been reliable options. Currently, both Tanner McDougal and Hagen Smith are shut down and unable to throw, while rookie Noah Schultz has been on the injured list and is only just beginning a rehab assignment.
There's no denying the upside Smith possesses, but White Sox fans still find themselves waiting for a time when he's more consistent on the mound and inspires confidence in his MLB future.
