Hagen Smith is heading to the majors.
The former Arkansas left-hander received word of his promotion to the Chicago White Sox late Friday night. The news caps a long climb back from injury for the hard-throwing lefty.
Smith’s path to Chicago started in 2024, when the White Sox made him the fifth overall pick in the MLB Draft.
That selection made him the highest-drafted pitcher in Razorback baseball history.
He’d earned that distinction after collecting multiple Pitcher of the Year awards during his final season for the Hogs.
The Bullard, Texas, native has been one of the sport’s top arms to watch ever since.
He currently sits as the White Sox system’s No. 2 prospect and ranks 51st overall on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.
Getting to this point wasn’t easy this year. Smith battled a shoulder impingement through June and July that slowed his progress with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights.
Since returning to the mound, though, he’s been about as good as it gets. Over his last six outings, Smith posted a sparkling 1.43 ERA.
His full body of work with Charlotte tells a similar story of a pitcher trending upward.
Across 20 appearances, including 14 starts, the Hogs product put up a 4.32 ERA in 58 1/3 innings.
He allowed 39 hits and 28 earned runs while walking 40 batters and striking out 87.
Second Razorback promoted this week
Smith isn’t the only former Hog getting good news this week.
He becomes the second Arkansas alum called up to the majors in a matter of days, joining outfielder Christian Franklin on the list of newly minted big leaguers.
The pair now join a growing group of former Razorbacks already playing at the sport’s highest level.
That list includes Jalen Beeks with the Texas Rangers, Andrew Benintendi with the White Sox, James McCann with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ryne Stanek with the St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s a proud moment for a program that keeps sending arms and bats to the show.
Fans wanting more background on Smith’s development can check out an earlier sit-down where he discussed how his time at Arkansas shaped his minor league approach.
Key takeaways
Hagen Smith earned a call up to the Chicago White Sox after posting a 1.43 ERA in his last six outings for Triple-A Charlotte
Smith is the highest-drafted pitcher in Arkansas history and ranks 51st overall on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list
He becomes the second former Razorback called up to the majors this week, joining outfielder Christian Franklin
