Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game.
Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is No. 3 in Chicago's system and No. 34 overall, figure to be the cornerstones of a strong future starting rotation. But they were paired together during a 3-1 loss to the Rockies' prospects as part of Sunday’s Spring Breakout contest at Camelback Ranch, much like they were doing in two Cactus League appearances while in big league camp.
Smith started Sunday, working two hitless innings and striking out one, while Schultz went hitless through the third and fourth with two strikeouts. It was Schultz who took the mound first in those Cactus League contests.
“It’s really cool,” said Smith, who threw 17 of his 30 pitches for strikes. “It’s cool to pitch on the same day as him.”
“We got a good thing going,” said Schultz, who fired 16 of his 22 pitches in the zone. “Next week we have three innings. So we’ll see if we are [again], but it’s fun coming in after him.”
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
According to Statcast, Smith topped out at 96 mph and recorded four swings and misses. Schultz hit 95.7 mph while incorporating six pitches, generating four swings and misses among his work.
This pairing of the game’s top two left-handed pitching prospects, per Pipeline, might not end in Spring Training, as Schultz, Smith and right-hander Grant Taylor, the White Sox No. 7 prospect who did not pitch Sunday, could be part of the same rotation in Double-A Birmingham to open the 2025 season. It’s their next collective step toward the Majors.
“Today was a good start for us,” Schultz said of the White Sox system as a whole. “It’s just great the bonds we have together on and off the field. It’s a big part in success.”
Meet the Montgomerys
They aren't related despite sharing the same last name, but shortstop Colson Montgomery (MLB's No. 39 overall prospect) and center fielder Braden Montgomery (No. 54 overall) showed off similar top-notch glove work Sunday.
Colson took a hit away from Adael Amador to open the fourth by ranging into the hole between third base and shortstop, then throwing across his body on the jump to make a perfect throw to first baseman Tim Elko. Braden saved a big inning in the fifth by making a diving catch on Bryant Betancourt’s line drive, stranding runners on first and third.
“I actually thought I was kind of late jumping to it,” Colson said of his play. “I had a good angle to the ball and I knew he was a pretty decent runner, so I had to just get it and throw it.
“To be honest, I didn’t see where Tim was, so kind of just threw it over in the general direction. It worked. You practice those all the time, though. I felt good.”
Basepath mass
With two outs in the fifth inning, Elko was hit on the hand by a Jack Mahoney pitch. He took a minute to get to first, as the crowd oohed and ahhed, but then quickly made his way to third on George Wolkow’s single to center.
That’s Elko, at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, and Wolkow at 6-foot-7, 239 pounds. It’s the White Sox version of the jumbo package on the basepaths.
Wolkow flew out to left fielder Sterlin Thompson at the wall to end the third inning, and his single registered a 114.8 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. And remember, he’s only 19 years old.
“Both of them are extremely large males,” said a smiling Colson.
“He’s electric,” added Colson of Wolkow, who he played with for the first time on Sunday. “He’s a very positive, high-energy guy. So it’s kind of cool to be around.”
Bullish on Bergolla
Who is William Bergolla?
For openers, he’s the Minor League infielder acquired from the Phillies in exchange for left-handed reliever Tanner Banks at the 2024 Trade Deadline. He’s also one of the slightly under-the-radar White Sox prospects to watch, according to director of player development Paul Janish.
“I don’t know if this is a total sleeper,” Janish said of Chicago's No. 16 prospect. “But he’s got a really unique defensive ability and skillset in a premium position.”
Bergolla, 20, started at second Sunday, making a slick fielding play and then flipping the ball to first base with his glove to nail Drew Romo. He also doubled, swiped third and scored a run, while showing seemingly effortless cool while applying the tag on stolen-base attempts at second. He’s already one of the better defensive infielders in the system.
Senior Reporter Scott Merkin has covered the White Sox for MLB.com since 2003.
Barons Get 2-0 Win Against the Smokies
The Birmingham Barons pitched a 2-0 shutout against the Knoxville Smokies before 3,621 at Covenant Health Park. Three Barons pitchers got the shutout, while Ryan Galanie had the big two-RBI single in the road win. Starting pitcher Dalton Roach pitched four innings, giving up only two hits, no runs, and
Barons Sweep Series with the Blue Wahoos, Win 6-2 over Pensacola
The Birmingham Barons pounded out 11 hits to win 6-2 over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Jacob Burke, Jacob Gonzalez, and Adam Hackenberg hit home runs for the Barons as they sweep the Blue Wahoos in the 6-game series. The last time
Barons Shutout Blue Wahoos behind five strong innings by Noah Schutlz
Five shutout innings by Noah Schultz led the Birmingham Barons to a 2-0 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Saturday night. The Barons pounded out 10 hits, but could only score two runs in the road win. The Barons have won five straight
Barons Win 4th Straight, Win 6-3 over the Blue Wahoos
The Birmingham Barons win their fourth straight road game and win 6-3 over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Friday night. Five Barons hitters provided enough offense, and a stingy bullpen pulled off the road win. Spot starter Dalton Roach started his first game since
Rikuu Nishida Three Hits leads Barons to 4-2 Win over the Blue Wahoos
Rikuu Nishida had three hits and two RBI in the Birmingham Barons 4-2 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 3,756 on Thursday night at the Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, Florida. Starting pitcher Shane Murphy gets his third win while Peyton Pallette gets his league-leading seventh save of the
Jack Palisch Goes Six Strong Innings for Barons 7-2 Win over Blue Wahoos
Jake Palisch goes six strong innings and gets his third win of the season as the Birmingham Barons win 7-2 over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 3,223 on Wednesday night. The Barons could only produce three hits on one earned run but came away with the road win in Pensacola.
Riley Gowens Gets 4th Win in Barons 6-2 Win over the Blue Wahoos
Jason Matthews had three hits to lead the Birmingham Barons to a 6-2 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 3,030 at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Tuesday night. The Barons combined for nine hits in the game and solid pitching from five different pitchers in the win. Jason Matthews led
Shane Murphy Gets Six Shutout Innings in Barons 4-2 Win over Lookouts
Shane Murphy pitched six shutout innings with some timely hitting as the Birmingham Barons got the 4-2 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts before 7,844 at Regions Field on Friday night. With the win, the Barons have won five in a row and lead the series with the Lookouts at 4-0.
Wilfred Veras RBI Single gives Barons 4-3 Walk-Off Win
Wilfred Veras RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Birmingham Barons a 4-3 walk-off win over the Chattanooga Lookouts before 4,368 at Regions Field on Thursday night. An RBI triple by William Bergolla tied the game at 3-3 in the 10th before the Veras big hit.
DJ Gladney Gives the Barons the 1-0 Win with Home Run
DJ Gladney hit a home run with tremendous pitching to give the Birmingham Barons the 1-0 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts before 8,235 at Regions Field on Wednesday. Gladney hit his home run in the bottom of the fifth inning for the game's only run, and the Barons won three
Barons Win 4-1 over the Lookouts in Game 1
The Birmingham Barons used timely hitting and solid pitching to get the 4-1 win before 2,991 at Regions Field on Tuesday night. Starting pitcher Noah Schult (2-1, 3.58) gets the win, going 5.0 innings, giving up five hits, one earned run, one walk, and seven strikeouts. The Barons' bullpen gave
Barons Snap 4-Game Losing Streak with 4-1 Win over Clingstones
The Birmingham Barons secured a solid 4-1 victory over the Clingstones on Saturday night. Strong pitching and timely hitting snapped the Barons' four-game losing streak. The game was delayed for over two hours due to rain in the area. Due to the delayed start, starting pitcher Hagen Smith only pitched
Barons Hang on Late for 4-3 Win over Blue Wahoos
The Birmingham Barons edged out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-3 before 3,618 at Regions Field on Sunday. With the Barons leading by one run in the top of the ninth and a runner on first base, Shane Sasaki doubled as DJ Gladney tried to dive for a ball that rolled
Barons Split Doubleheader with Blue Wahoos
The Birmingham Barons split a doubleheader with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 3,611 at Regions Field on Saturday. The Barons won 4-0 in Game 1 and lost 4-1 in Game 2. In Game 1, after a rain delay, the start time was pushed past 6:00 p.m., and the Barons came
Barons lose 6-5 to the Blue Wahoos in 11 Innings
The Birmingham Barons lost a 6-5 game to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before 3,032 on Thursday night. The Barons led 3-1 early in the game but gave up three runs in the sixth inning and trailed before they tied the game up and sent it into extra innings. Starting pitcher
Barons Win 4-2 in Morning Matinee Game
In a Wednesday morning matinee, the Birmingham Barons defeated the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-2 before 7,405 at Regions Field, evening their series at one game apiece. The game featured a compelling matchup between two top left-handed pitching prospects: Birmingham's Noah Schultz and Pensacola's Robby Snelling. Schultz, the top prospect in
Barons Give Up Run in the 9th and lose 3-2 to Blue Wahoos
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored a run in the ninth inning to defeat the Birmingham Barons 3-2 before 2,492 at Regions Field on Tuesday night. The Barons had a runner on in the ninth but couldn't force home the tying run. Starting pitcher Hagen Smith pitched 4.0 innings, giving up
Barons Win 3-2 over Trash Pandas, Win Series 4-2
A Wilfred Veras home run and a Mario Camilletti 2-RBI single led the Birmingham Barons to a 3-2 win before 4,429 at Toyota Field on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Barons win the six-game series four games to two and remain in first place in the North Division of
Adam Hackenberg 2 RBI Double Sparks Barons Comeback Win
Adam Hackenberg's two-RBI double sparks the Birmingham Barons 6-4 comeback against the Rocket City Trash Pandas before 5,388 at Toyota Field on Friday night. The Barons trailed 4-3 going into the ninth inning and scored three runs in the top of the inning to get the road win. Starting pitcher
Barons Win 7-1 to Open Series with Trash Pandas
The Birmingham Barons scored five runs in the seventh inning to break open a scoreless tie as the Barons went on for the 7-1 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas before 2,712 at Toyota Field on Tuesday night. Barons pitching only gave up four hits and the one earned
Barons Fall 5-3 to the Shuckers in Extra Innings
The Biloxi Shuckers scored two runs in the 11th inning to win 5-3 over the Birmingham Barons. The Barons held a 3-2 lead going into the ninth inning, but could not hold the lead as the Shuckers tied the score at 3-3. Starting pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez pitched five innings, giving
Wilfred Veras 3-Run Home Run Leads Barons to a 6-5 Win over the Shuckers
Wilfred Veras three-run home run led the Birmingham Barons to a 6-5 win over the Biloxi Shuckers before 2,661 at Regions Field on Saturday night. The Barons trailed 4-3 when Veras hit the home run to give the Barons the lead. Starting pitcher Riley Gowens (2-0, 5.91) pitched only .2
Shuckers Take Down Barons 4-1 on Friday Night
The Barons drop their third game in the series to the Shuckers as Biloxi defeats Birmingham 4-1 before 2,915 at Regions Field on Friday night. The Barons could only get six hits in the game and only one extra base hit in the loss. Starting pitcher Noah Schultz (0-1, 4.97)
Barons Win 4-1 over the Shuckers
Jason Matthews hit a two-run home run to give the Birmingham Barons a 4-1 win over the Biloxi Shuckers before 3,947 at Regions Field on Thursday night. The Barons came into the game not scoring a run in 17 straight innings, but Matthews home run in the third inning broke
Barons Get Shutout 4-0 to the Shuckers
The Birmingham Barons lost 4-0 to the Biloxi Shuckers before 2,401 at Regions Field on Wednesday night. Down 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Barons had two runners on base but couldn't push across any runs. Starting pitcher Grant Taylor (0-1, 1.69) pitched only 2.1 innings,